True Judaism &
False Judaism According to the Book of Romans

Despite
the biblical veracity of the aforementioned truths, it is hard to hear and hard
to understand by most. Therefore, I find it necessary that before we move into
a detailed study of the Moral Law as a regulator of Church Purity (like as we
have just examined the Ceremonial Law), we must address the most notable
passages of Paul in the Book of Romans and other Epistles. Why? The apostle
Paul doesn’t seem to support “the Law” as something associated with
moral regeneration in the Book of Romans, does he? To many, the former Chapter
seems irreconcilable to notable and commonly quoted passages of scripture found
in the Book of Romans and other Epistles. Thus, to move forward, it is
necessary that we address these passages directly and discover their meaning
according to the inspired text.

The Law in the Book of Romans

At first glance, it can appear
that Paul’s understanding of the Law was contrary to the clear teachings of Old
Testament scripture. For example, when Paul spoke of being “dead to” and
“delivered from” the Law (Rom. 7:4, 6), he seemed to understand that the
Old Testament Law was nothing but an old and dead letter (that there was
nothing spiritual about it), as if Paul was ignorant of The Spirituality of
the Law. Making reference to this seeming affirmation, Paul spoke of
freedom from the Law on this wise, “that we should serve in newness of Spirit,
and not in oldness of letter” (Rom. 7:6). This language here, in Romans 7,
parallels what was spoken elsewhere in the Book of Romans on many occasions.
For example, Romans 6:14 seems to attribute the condition of being
“under the Law” as the dominion of sin, the opposite of being what Paul calls,
“under grace”. This seems to indicate that, according to Paul, there was
no saving grace or spiritual renewal existing under the Old Covenant. Albeit,
it’s not what it seems.

If the commonly held and
popularized viewpoint of Paul’s statements in Romans 6:14 & 7:4-6 are true
– so that, indeed, the Old Testament was nothing but a life-less and grace-less
dead religion – how can such statements be reconciled with the Spirit-filled
confessions of Old Testament saints who sang and prayed about the Law with
radical liveliness, saying things like, “The Law of the LORD is perfect,
converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple”
(Ps. 19:7), and, “O how love I Thy Law! It is my meditation all the day” (Ps.
119:97)!? These affirmations are two among a myriad of like confessions from
holy men of old who were moved by the Holy Ghost (Ps. 119:31-32, 44-45, 133,
Ps. 19:12-14), and their confessions were far from grace-less and dead, my
reader. Think of it, the Old Testament saints spoke of the Law in such a
glorious way, who can deny that they were utterly in love with it because
therein they found liberty and glory in righteousness? And
yet Paul seems to be contradicting this indisputable reality that
existed in Old Testament Law (according to the popularized viewpoint of Paul’s
statements).

When passages of scripture from
Romans and other Books are quoted and interpreted, passages like Romans 5:20,
which says, “the Law entered that offence might abound” (Rom. 5:20), it is
usually argued or implied that the Old Testament Israelites were slaves to sin
and destitute of the Spirit of God like grace-less robots. How about you, my
reader, do you believe that the Old Testament saints were heartlessly
imprisoned in the rigors of religious bondage? If not, you have certainly heard
of this viewpoint before if you’ve been around 21st century
Christendom for a while. I propose that Paul’s statement in Galatians 5:1,
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be
not entangled again with the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1), is one of the most
misused passages of scripture. Indeed, there was a “bondage” being referenced
by Paul, and there was such a thing in the Old Testament as “bondage”, no
doubt, but was this “bondage” the fact that all Jews were void of the Spirit of
God, void of the grace of God, and without a relationship to God through authentic
faith in God?

Let’s face facts, my reader:
When the OT psalmists sang about the Law we can be sure of this: they weren’t
singing because they were grace-less sinners with no relationship with God. It
is certain, my reader, they weren’t singing because their relationship with the
Law was causing sin and offence to abound in their lives, but the contrary!
Their relationship with the Law was apparently different than what popular
interpreters of Paul’s statements seem to be saying. The truth is, the
popular interpreters are wrong and their ideas are inconsistent with the wider
context of Romans and the whole context of inspired scripture.

Indeed, it does appear that Paul
spoke and preached contrary to the Law (phraseologically), and this, we know,
was an accusation made against him (Acts 18:13, 21:28), but Paul said of his
own preaching and doctrine, “Neither against the Law of the Jews,
neither against the Temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing
at all” (Acts 25:8). A bold confession made by an innocent man, my reader! But
how can it be? To confront this controversy and satisfy all necessary
questions, we are going to have to stop quoting verses with our own viewpoints
imposed upon them. We are going to have to look closer at the inspired text and
consider, what is the right, contextual, and holistic interpretation?
Attempting to walk through such an exercise, my reader, let us begin with the
Book of Romans. Let us look at every significant explanation the Book of Romans
offers on the subject of “the Law” and interspersedly branch off from there as
necessary.

ROMANS
CHAPTER 2

The apostle Paul did not always
speak in phraseological pronouncements which emphasized the inferiority and
abolition of “the Law”, my reader. In Romans Ch. 2, Paul spoke of the Law being
fulfilled by Jews and Gentiles as a work of salvation before and after
the New Covenant (Rom. 2:13-15, 25-29, 8:4, 13:8, Gal. 5:7). On this wise,
also, Paul and James affirmed that we will be judged by the Law, which
means that the condemnation of Law-breakers is just because keeping the Law is
justifiably possible (Rom. 1:32, 2:1-3, 12, 16, Jas. 2:12). Looking closely at
the aforementioned verses, my reader, what more can be said? The controversy is
evident.

What is Judaism and how can
these statements of fulfilling the Law be reconciled with the former
which seem contradictory? The doorway of resolution opened at the answer
of a single question: who were the true Israelites, the true sons and
daughters of Abraham, and why (John 1:47, 8:39, Rom. 9:6-8, Php. 3:3)? The
truth be told, Paul was addressing false and hypocritical Jews who were
supposing they were justified by the Law and were not, so Paul clarified God’s
truth, saying, “not the hearersof the Law are just before
God, but the doersof the Law shall be justified” (Rom.
2:13). Again, Paul was not stating that this peculiarity of
justification was an impossibility. This is because here, in Romans 2:13-15
& 25-29, the redemptive operation of inward regeneration resulting in a general
obedience to the Law was in focus. Later on in the Book of Romans, Paul will
distinguish other angles of redemption via justification which were impossible
through the Law, but that is not his point here.

– Key Point #1 –

A
peculiarity of justification (Rom.2:13) which was possible in the Law
is the redemptive operation of inward regeneration resulting in a general
obedience to the Law.

Phrases Referential to Heretical Judaism

·“the
form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law” – Rom.2:20

·“Outward
Jews” who “by the letter and circumcision” suppose they keep the Law “in the
flesh” – Rom. 2:27-28

Phrases Referential to True Judaism

·Jews
who “do by nature the things contained in the Law” showing “the work of the
Law written in their hearts” – Rom. 2:14-15

·“Inward
Jews” who “by nature” do “fulfill the Law”, whose “circumcision is that of
the heart, in the Spirit” – Rom. 2:27, 29

This
being the case, understanding Paul’s audience is key. The unconverted Jews (of
1st century Judaism) were pointedly addressed as, “man”, in Romans
2:1 unto the end of the Chapter. Paul warned them of the judgment of God
which is impartial in its execution (Rom. 2:1-16), and, thus, he questioned
them of sin and hypocrisies which would lawfully disqualify their judgment of
other men whether Jews or Gentiles (Rom. 2:17-24), and, meanwhile, Paul
clarified to them what inward salvation was via “the Law” according to Biblical
Judaism (Rom. 2:13-15, 25-29). Paul was aware that they, the unconverted Jews,
could not tell a true Jew from a false Jew, or a true
convert from a false convert, simply because they, themselves, were
blinded by the maladies of an unconverted man. Therefore, when Paul spoke of
their Jewish boast of knowledge and understanding which they supposed to have from
the Law, he called it, “the form of knowledge and of the truth in the
Law” (Rom. 2:20). You see, all their knowledge and understanding of Judaism in
the Law could be summarized as mere form. This word denotes the true
condition of the Jews whom Paul addressed in the Book of Romans: they did not
understand The Spirituality of the Law.

With unbroken and building
argumentation, Paul wrote a masterful message to a misunderstood people
directly confronting and denouncing their misconceptions while extolling the
true meaning of Judaism, and if we, 21st century Christians, quote a
verse of Pauline denunciation without its balancing extolment, then we too,
like the 1st century Jews, are carried about by our own
misconceptions. The truth is, because of the multitude of false Jews and the
abundance of false doctrine from heretical Judaism, and because Jesus Christ
and the 1st century inspired writers were compelled to write in such
a way which was relevant to the popular heresies which held the people captive,
21st century Christians wrongly suppose that all the Jews which have
ever existed in Judaism have been like the 1st century Jews.

ROMANS
CHAPTER 3

To authenticate the unwavering
existence of true Judaism which was and is, “the faith of God” (Rom. 3:3), over
and against a generation of unbelieving and formalistic “Jews” who were
obnoxiously ignorant of it, Paul commends truth’s durability. Despite an
apostate generation of “Jews”, the unpopular truth persevered and effectually
saved those who believed! These “Jews” were not real Jews, as Paul said,

“For
what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God
without effect? God forbid.” – Rom. 3:3

“Not as
though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel,
which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they
all the children…” – Rom. 9:6-7

“The faith of God” (Rom. 3:3)
possessed by true Jews (Rom. 2:25-29) was referenced as an aspect which existed
in the Law as a witness; this was, namely, “the witness of the Law and the
prophets” (Rom. 3:3, 21). This means that unbelieving, false, and heretical
Judaism of the 1st century did not make the authentic and
faith-based Judaism non-existent and void. All true Israelites (“an
Israelite indeed”-Jn.1:47) had the faith of God as it was available in the
Old Testament, and, therefore, Jesus preached denunciating rebukes of false
Jews while affirming the faith of true Jews. One place of supreme importance
where this took place was in John 5:39-47. Christ said to the formalistic and
unbelieving Jews,

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye
have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. And ye will not come
to Me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you,
that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye
receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How
can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour
that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father:
there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye
believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of Me. But if ye
believe not his writings, how shall ye believe My words?” – John 5:39-47

Take heed, my reader, this denunciation of
falsely converted Judaism was not new. Unbelieving Jews, like in Jeremiah’s day
(Jer. 8:8-9), did always exist in some quantity; and Jesus Christ joined the
suffering and persecution which the true prophets had endured for centuries
prior. Speaking of this, the Lord said, “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak
well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets”, and,
“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say
all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake…for so persecuted they the
prophets which were before you” (Lk. 6:26, Matt. 5:11-12). You see, my
reader, Jesus Christ was citing the happenings of true and historical Judaism
amidst the whelming floods of unconverted “Judaism”. The Lord Jesus defended
“the faith of God” which was still in effect in all of His followers despite
the unbelieving “Jews”, saying, “had ye believed in Moses, ye would have
believed in Me: for he wrote of Me. But if ye believe not his writings, how
shall ye believe in My words” (John 5:46-47). The Law and the prophets did so
clearly write and witness of the coming Messiah that it was absolutely certain,
if a man believed in the OT they would believe in and receive Jesus as the
Christ. “The faith of God” in true Judaism was the point, my reader.

This point was defended by Christ time and time
again as He rebuked and denounced the unbelieving Jews (Lk. 16:29, 31), yes,
but also as He reproved, corrected, and instructed the true Jews when they were
weak and slow in faith (Luke 24:25-27, 44-49). The apostles did likewise, as
can be observed, when they took up the mantle of Christ to defend the truth
against the lie (Acts 26:22-23, 27, Rom. 1:2). In these ways both the Lord
Jesus and the apostles affirmed the unbroken faith-based Judaism which existed
from the OT to the NT (“the faith of God”-Rom.3:3); therefore, it was
explained that all who were the Father’s in the Old Covenant did inevitably
become the Son’s in the New Covenant, faith to faith (John 5:23, 6:37, 17:6,
9-10, 25, 15:23-24, Matt. 11:27, 1 Jn. 2:23, 2 Jn. 1:9).

Now remember, 1st century unconverted Jews really
believed they were better than others, but Paul had been arguing and
continued to argue, “he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is
that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not
of men, but of God” (Rom. 2:29). Unconverted Jews didn’t seek justification
from God by faith in the atonement; they sought it through the praise of men
in formalistic Judaism, for example, “by letter and circumcision” in the flesh
(Rom. 2:27). Thus they didn’t put their trust and confidence in
God’s unmerited grace but, on the contrary, as Paul did when he was a Pharisee,
they had “confidence in the flesh” (Php. 3:3; see Gal. 5:1-7). This is,
very specifically, Judaism in “letter” and “form” without the “Spirit” (Rom.
2:20, 29), the 1st century Judaism that Pharisaical Paul adhered to
while he was on the broad way to destruction!

False & Unbelieving Jews were Blind to…

“ALL the world…guilty” – Rom. 3:19

“by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified” –
Rom. 3:20

“the righteousness of God without the Law” – Rom. 3:21

Why did the unconverted Jews, like Paul, think they were better
than others, adhere to a faith-less devotion to what they wrongly supposed
to be the right interpretation of “the Law”, and, thus, put their trust
in their flesh instead of God’s unmerited grace? Because the false and
unbelieving Jews were blind to the Biblical fact that “ALL the world” was
“guilty” before God (Rom. 3:19) and that there was no difference between Jews
and Gentiles in that they were “ALL under sin” (Rom. 3:9). Fittingly, these
points of argument were scrupulously proven by a converted Pharisee, the
apostle Paul, quoting scripture after scripture to reach those who did suppose
they trusted in the Law (“As it is written…”-Rom.3:10-19). My reader, do
you see what Paul was seeking to do under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost?

False Jews were blind to the fact that, “by the deeds of the
Law shall no flesh be justified” (Rom. 3:20), because they did not see or
understand their own sinfulness, therefore Paul sought to convince them of
their own wretched condition before God. Paul understood that, all the while
the Jews were being blind to their own sinfulness, they would consequentially
be blind to “the righteousness of God without the Law” (Rom. 3:21). As an aid
to comprehend Paul’s purpose of quoting the Moral Law on so many points in
Romans 3:9-20, hear Paul tell his own testimony of salvation to the Philippians
with the same phraseological terms used heretofore in the Book of Romans.

“For we [true Christians] are the circumcision,
which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and
have no confidence in the flesh. Though I [Paul] might also have confidence
in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust
in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of
the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a
Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gainto me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I
count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but
dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in Him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the
faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” – Php.
3:3-9

Did you take notice, my reader? Paul needed to be
saved from “blamelessness” (Php. 3:6). In Paul’s salvation testimony he spoke
of a need to be saved from what he specified as blamelessness in what he
called, “the righteousness which is in the Law” (Php. 3:6; “the deeds of the
Law”-Rom.3:28). Why would he need to be saved from “the righteousness which
is in the Law” (Php. 3:6)? When Paul referenced, “the righteousness
which is in the Law”, he spoke of those things of the Law which were achieved through
outward conformity, and he, being a self-righteous Pharisee, was vainly
glorying in what 1st century Jews did wrongly consider to be the
teaching of the Law, and in so doing he was despising others (“certain which
trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others”-Lk.18:9).
What “righteousness” did such men like unconverted Paul achieve exactly?

The Lord Jesus did illustrate some prominent
points of formalistic righteousness according to the Pharisees in Luke 18:9-14.
Outwardly, the unconverted Jews fasted twice a week, gave tithes of all
possessions, made prayers of thanksgiving to God in that they were not
outwardly wicked as irreligious men were: such men like extortionists, the
unjust, adulterers, and publicans. The Pharisee in the parable
said in thanksgiving to God, “I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are…”,
but HE WAS WRONG! He was as other men were, for, “they are all under sin” (Rom.
3:9). This Pharisee was, inwardly, exactly the same as the various types of
sinners he named. Therefore, it is very clear why Paul was, in Romans 3:1-20,
preaching the very same message as the Lord Jesus did in the days of His flesh,
only with more explanation than what a parable allows.

As the Lord did convey in the parable, what
Pharisaical Paul and all the self-righteous Jews called, “the righteousness
which is in the Law”, was in truth, rather, “confidence in the flesh” (Php.
3:3; “certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others”-Lk.18:9). This was faith in the mere “form” of “outward”
Judaism (Rom. 2:20, 28-29), the same thing that Paul confessed was, “mine own
righteousness which is of the Law”, a thing completely contrary to “the
righteousness which is of God by faith” in the OT or the NT (Php. 3:9), a thing
which made him hateful, cruel, and violent against those he deemed lesser
than himself! This was, in fact, a blood-thirsty heresy concocted by Satan and
spawned from hell to murder the true saints of God, even as the Jews were
compelled so to do, shockingly, under the leadership of unconverted Paul!

Phrases Referential to Heretical Judaism

·“confidence
in the flesh”, “trust in the flesh” – Php. 3:3-4

·“as
touching the righteousness which is in the Law, blameless” – Php. 3:6

·“mine
own righteousness, which is of the Law” – Php. 3:9

Phrases Referential to True Judaism

·“the
righteousness which is of God by faith” – Php. 3:9

Given the prevalence of this self-righteous
understanding filling the mind of the common Jew of the 1st century,
Paul called it what he called it. He was phraseologically addressing the
commonplace understanding so as to refute it, just as he does in the Book of
Romans. While Paul phraseologically denounced these popular uses of these
terms, misunderstood Christian readers can think that false Judaism is true
Judaism; they can attribute to Biblical Judaism what Paul was refuting as False
Judaism! Be careful to note this, my reader: false Jews were so self-righteous
that they believed they could be justified by the faith-less “deeds of the Law”
(Rom. 3:28), they did not see how “faith” and Spirituality were a part of Old
Testament Law (evidenced by the question and answer presented in Rom. 3:31).
The false Jews thought they were keeping “the righteousness which is in the
Law” (Php. 3:6), and, blamelessly doing “the deeds of the Law” (Rom. 3:28), by
practicing outward circumcision and the like… but Paul denied that they were
keeping the Law in actuality. In actuality they were just glorying in flesh (“For
neither they…who are circumcised keep the Law; but desire to have you
circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh”-Gal.6:13).

Seeing that false Jews actually thought they were
better and more righteous than others in the flesh, Paul set forth a
relevant question: “What then? Are we better than they” (Rom. 3:9)? In
other words, are true Jews any better than false Jews, or, are true Jews any
better than unconverted Gentiles? The Jews were better than Gentiles formalistically,
yes, but as far as sin is concerned, Paul answered: “No, in no wise”
(Rom. 3:9). True Jews were beneficiaries of “the faith of God” and the
righteousness of God, whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament. Paul
argued that this was because all men were born “under sin” (Rom. 3:9) – having
no real righteousness to personally confide in and no real righteousness to
commend ourselves to God by – therefore true Jews became converts by faith even
while being “under the Law” (Rom. 3:19) in the Old Covenant (“Do we make
void the Law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the Law”-Rom.3:31).
By faith, I mean, they were saved in an Old Testament sense (while “under the
Law”) …that is, until the New Testament provision of faith dawned upon mankind.
Thus, Paul argued, true Jews (under the Law) were convinced of their own sin so
that their mouths were stopped (Rom. 3:19), they owned their guilt and came to
God in need of justification (Rom. 3:20), and by faith in the Gospel-Shadows
the Jews were atoned and forgiven! Faith doesn’t void the Law, it establishes
it! That’s the truth.

With this in mind, Paul was compelled to address
a point of peculiar relevance in the shadow-to-reality transition from the OT
to the NT; and, as you read, take note of the consistent phraseology used
heretofore.

“But now the
righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by
the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by
faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is
no difference: For all [Jew and Gentile of every age] have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in his blood, to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that
he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is
boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the
law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law.” – Romans 3:21-28

Though authentic Old Testament Jews were saved by faith, with
faithful Abraham (Gal. 3:9), the Old Testament was problematic and insufficient
to mediate a lasting and eternal forgiveness before God (Heb. 10:1-14).
According to the superior operation of redemption offered in the New Testament
– in so much that it is the reality of the shadows and the
essence of typological and metaphorical figures (Heb. 8:1-5) – it is the
sole means of forgiveness whether in the OT or the NT. “His blood” is the eternal provision (Rom. 3:25). “His blood”
is the benefactor because “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of
goats should take away sins” (Rom. 3:25, Heb. 10:4). Though the LORD
honestly declared the words “atonement” and “forgiven” in the Old Testament
(atonement: Ex. 29:37, 30:10, 16, Lev. 4:1; forgiven: Lev. 4:20, 26, 31, 35),
the atonement of animal’s blood was ultimately insufficient! The truth of this
begs the question answered in Romans 3:25 regarding the righteousness of God’s
forgiveness of past sins unsuccessfully remitted by animal blood.

Indeed, if the OT saints were atoned for and forgiven without
their sins being legally remitted in truth, how was God righteous to forgive
them!? This seeming complication is answerable by recognizing the merits of
Christ’s blood existing as an eternal provision which was in pastime
delivered to the OT saints by promise and illustrated by shadow, to wit: “These
all, having obtained a good report through faith, received NOT the promise:
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us
should not be made perfect” (Heb. 11:40). On this wise, the OT saints were
atoned for and forgiven while the provision whereby this is made possible had
not yet been offered, therefore, as Paul mentioned, the unremitted sins were
forborne until “His blood” was shed, the blood of Christ Incarnate (Rom. 3:25).

Necessarily so, these unremitted sins were forborne by God,
but, righteously so, these unremitted sins were forgiven based upon the
vindicatory arrival of Jesus Christ the righteous (“to declare His
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance
of God”-Rom.3:25). In this one Offering, every sin committed since the
beginning of the world was atoneable for real, in reality, because the very
substance which the shadows existed to portray did finally manifest (“for
the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament”-Heb.9:15).
Therefore, purposefully, those who had faith in the shadows were also believers
in the reality declared by the shadows, and without contradiction, Paul
affirmed, “Do we then make void the Law through faith? God
forbid: yea, we establish the Law” (Rom. 3:31).

“For if that First Covenant had been
faultless, then should no place have been sought for theSecond.”
– Heb. 8:7

“Then verily the First Covenant had also
ordinances of Divine Service, and a Worldly Sanctuary.” – Heb. 9:1

“In that He saith, A New Covenant, He hath
made the First old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is
ready to vanish away.” – Heb. 8:13

The Insufficiency of the Law

·Carnal/Earthly/Temporary
Ordinances -Heb. 9:10

·Carnal/Fleshly/Temporary
Purification -Heb. 9:13, 10:1-14

The Sufficiency of the NT

·Spiritual/Heavenly/Eternal Ordinances -Heb.
8:1-6, 9:23-24

·Spiritual/Heavenly/Everlasting Purification -Heb.
9:23-10:14

The Insufficiency of the animal’s blood for remission and
atonement was that it purified the flesh and not the soul (Heb. 9:13, 1 Pet.
1:18-23). The emptiness of the shadow left a man unperfected as pertaining to
conscience and unprepared for Heaven (Heb. 9:8-10) because the “carnal
ordinances” of the Old Covenant, like a powerless shadow (their earthly
personage, sacrifices, ceremonies), were unfit for the infrastructure of
Eternal Redemption located in Heaven (the location of the very “image” and
“reality” from whence cometh salvation)!

ROMANS CHAPTER 4

Seeing this, that the Law was established by faith (Rom.
3:31), another branch of argumentation was undertaken to prove the point.
Abraham was brought into focus as a chief example of justification by faith prior
to the Law, so as to prove, furthermore, the perpetuity of justification
by faith under the system of the Law and upon the removal of the
Law. This example is of vital relevance because the false Jews do wrongly
contrive their fleshly boasting to what they gained from Abraham, they suppose,
being his carnal seed. Albeit we see in Abraham a justification wherein man is
not able to glory in the flesh, a man who has not found anything “pertaining to
the flesh” to be “justified by” (Rom. 4:1-2)! Rather, “Abraham believed God,
and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3). Faith was reckoned
to Abraham for righteousness before physical circumcision or any work of the
Law (Rom. 4:9-12) as evidence of a divine purpose which is argued in relationship
to the Law:

“For the promise, that he should be the heir of
the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through
the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be
heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no
transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace;
to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only
which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of
Abraham; who is the father of us all” – Rom. 4:13-16

The
identification, “of the Law” and “through the Law” (Rom. 4:13-14, Gal. 3:12),
were labels used to identify the physical and carnal seed of Abraham. To
believe that the once-born seed of Abraham was the heir of salvation makes void
faith and brings the promises of God to “none effect” because salvation was
always by grace through faith apart from works. This is the argument being made
here in Romans 4:13-16 (exactly parallel to the framework of the former Chapter
on the Ceremonial Law). Therefore, the spiritual
seed of Abraham was identifiable “through the righteousness of faith”,
according to Romans 4:13 (Jn. 8:39).

In writing to the Galatians, who
were leavened by the doctrines of false Jews, the apostle Paul confirmed God’s
truth still more. He argued that the Old Testament Israelites were never called
to be “of the Law” (finding salvation in its outward observance and in the physical
seed of Abraham), “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him
for righteousness” (Gal.3:6). Contrary to the erroneous doctrine of
Judaizers, Paul concurred, “Know ye therefore that they which are of faith,
the same are the children of Abraham” (Gal. 3:7). This population of
people, which were “of faith”, were contrary to the people who were, “of
the works of the Law” (Gal. 3:10), even as the contradiction of two ancient
children of Abraham: Isaac, who was born of the Spirit by faith, was contrary
to Ishmael, who was born of the flesh (“he that was born after the flesh
persecuted him that was born after the Spirit”-Gal.4:29). Through these
terms Paul was seeking to distinguish the real and true interpretation of the
Covenant beneficiaries (“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made”-Gal.3:16),
and that seed was “of faith” and not “of the Law” because God
gave it to Abraham by promise (Gal. 3:18).

ROMANS CHAPTER 5

As a fit opening to the Chapter, it was written,
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). True Jews were “without strength” as guilty “sinners”
before the Moral perfection demanded by the Law (Rom. 5:6, 8), before and after
the Mosaic Law (Rom. 5:14) …but especially afterwards. It was written in Romans
3:20, “by the Law is the knowledge of sin.” Before we move forward, let’s
remember what has been heretofore established.

Phrases Referential to Heretical Judaism

Self-righteous men who do not see their
sinfulness and, thereby, their faith & confidence is put in their flesh
and not in the atonement, and being thus rendered void of empowering grace
these men cannot understand or fulfill the doable aspects of the Law, hence
they put their hopes in being justified by a heretical understanding of the
Law.

·“the form
of knowledge and of the truth in the Law” – Rom.2:20

·“Outward
Jews” who “by the letter and circumcision” suppose they keep the Law “in the
flesh” – Rom. 2:27-28

·“confidence
in the flesh”, “trust in the flesh” – Php. 3:3-4

·“as
touching the righteousness which is in the Law, blameless” – Php. 3:6

·“mine
own righteousness, which is of the Law” – Php. 3:9

Phrases Referential to True Judaism

Humble men who see their sinfulness and, yet,
through faith in the atonement, are empowered by grace to understand and
fulfill the doable aspects of the Law through a confidence in God and not
dead works.

·Jews
who “do by nature the things contained in the Law” showing “the work of the
Law written in their hearts” – Rom. 2:14-15

·“Inward
Jews” who “by nature” do “fulfill the Law”, whose “circumcision is that of
the heart, in the Spirit” – Rom. 2:27, 29

·“the
righteousness which is of God by faith” – Php. 3:9

When reading the Book of Romans things can become very
confusing because the above phrases will appear indistinguishable to the
common reader. They are distinguishable, but they can appear
indistinguishable especially when the references are used so interchangeably
one after another. Furthermore, in addition to the two phraseological
categories displayed above, there are similar phrases used less frequently made
in reference to a slightly different aspect of the Law. This time, in the
phrases below, what is in reference is the full demand of the Moral Law being
accomplished in Sinless Perfection.

Phrases Referential to Sinless Perfection

·“if
thou keep the Law” – Rom. 2:25

·“by
the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified” – Rom. 3:20

The purpose of these references was to make heretical Jews
grasp how the Law is undoable in the flesh because it commands sinless
perfection according to the letter. Those who put their confidence in the flesh
to fulfill what they wrongly understood to be the Law needed a wakeup call, a
reconsideration, because the purpose of the Law was to prove that no flesh could
be justified by personal goodliness. This divine purpose of the Law was
referenced in Romans 3:20, stating, “by the Law is the knowledge of sin”, and
it was reiterated in Romans 4:15, 5:13, & 5:20, saying,

“Because the Law worketh wrath: for where no Law
is, there is no transgression.” – Rom. 4:15

“(For until the Law sin was in the world: but sin
is not imputed when there is no Law.” – Rom. 5:13

“Moreover the Law entered, that the offence might
abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” – Rom. 5:20

Because this purpose of the Law was not understood by the
unconverted, unbelieving, and heretical Judaism of the 1st century,
the point was repeatedly and progressively emphasized, but, with moderation,
knowing that the Jews would bring an accusation against Paul’s teaching
supposing that he is saying that the Law itself is sinful (Rom. 7:7-14). To
prevent this misunderstanding, Paul undertook an explanation of condemnation
and salvation with the point of reference to condemnation located far before the
establishment of the Law. The origin of sin, spiritual death, and condemnation
was referenced to one man, Adam, and in comparison to this man from whom
spiritual death was inherited there was another Man in reference, Jesus of
Nazareth. Paul unfolded his argument thus (while maintaining the aforementioned
purpose of the Law in Rom. 5:13 & 5:20), saying,

“Wherefore, as by one man [Adam] sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed
when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over
them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is
the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free
gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of
God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded
unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the
judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto
justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they
which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign
in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came
upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift
came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made
righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where
sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death,
even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus
Christ our Lord.” – Romans 5:12-21

The Law was instrumentally relatable to the progress and
furtherance of sin and death, but the Law was not its origin! As Paul did
specifically clarify, my reader, take a careful look: despite the fact that sin
was not imputed when there was no Law, and, that all have sinned and thus were
partakers of spiritual death – despite these affirmations and the conclusions
they seem to imply – Paul said, “Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to
Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s
transgression” (Rom. 5:12-14). Therefore, sinning while “under the Law” did NOT
on an individual basis cause condemnation through sin resulting in the
inheritance of spiritual death then being passed upon all men, there was
another origin from whence this came prior to the Law! Adam. If self-righteous
Jews could be convinced of their inherited condition of spiritual death, then
they would relate to the Law as condemned sinners who no longer trust in their wrong
perception of “the deeds of the Law” for justification (Rom. 3:20). Yes, and
they would no longer deceive themselves that they are better than others in the
flesh when, lo, “in Adam all die” (1 Cor. 15:22)!

This point is very important because Paul has and will
continue to argue, as we will soon see, that the Law is insufficient to
minister righteousness and sufficient to minister condemnation, but as a
minister of condemnation it was also a schoolmaster and a guide to the
everlasting arms of salvation in Jesus Christ. Albeit, before this progression
in the argument will take place, Chapter 5 existed to prove that in Adam: “many
be dead”, “death reigned”, “judgment came upon all men to condemnation”, and
“many are made sinners” (Rom. 5:15, 17, 18, 19).

ROMANS CHAPTER
6:1-7:14

For the sake of maintaining the cohesiveness of Paul’s
argument, this section will address Romans 6:1-7:14. The point of origin from
which salvation comes into being as an inheritance freely and equally disposed
upon all mankind has been clearly set-forth in Chapter 5 – the Man, Jesus
Christ! “By the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of Life” (Rom. 5:18)! Jesus is the New Man (Eph. 2:15), the Last
Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), and the Head of the Family of Salvation (Eph. 1:22, Gal.
3:28)! He is the Man from whom comes the whole Family of Life, by whom all men
are born again and partake of the spiritual inheritance equally owned by all of
Jesus’ brothers and sisters (Heb. 2:11). Having read Chapter 5, the Spiritual
and Familial union established in Christ for salvation is clearly explained,
but how a son or daughter of the first Adam is loosed from their familial and
hereditary inheritance of spiritual death is not explained. How is one freed
from his own human family, without dying? If someone dies in an
attempt to be free from their human family, how can he be joined together to
another human family unless he is resurrected? In Chapters 6, Paul
addressed this aspect of salvation exactly: salvation by way of death
& resurrection.

By way of introduction and to prevent any further
misunderstanding, Paul brought to attention two notorious questions made by
false Jews. Paul spoke candidly about the content of Chapter 5 so as to capture
the attention of those intoxicated by the questions of Jewish offenders, and,
again, in the middle of the chapter, it was written,

Question #2: “What then? shall we
sin, because we are not under the Law, but under grace? God forbid.” – Rom.
6:15

Of course the self-righteous Jews were offended at the
proposition of salvation which wasn’t dependent upon works, personal
goodliness, and fleshly boasting (their own heretical understanding of the
Law). Of course the works-based and faith-less Jews had difficulty
comprehending a salvation proclaimed on the basis of a free gift. Knowing this,
Paul brought the notorious perversions of truth into the question, and at the
close of the argument Paul will then ask yet another question, and then
another, saying,

Question #4: “Was then that which is
good MADE death unto me? God forbid.” – Rom. 7:13

Sadly, false Jews were quicker to admit that the Law was
sinful than that they were sinful, when confronted with a sound explanation of
the purpose and instrumentality of the Law. How were the first two questions
answered (Rom. 6:1-2, 15)? Paul gave three answers. Paul’s answers to these two
questions began with critical and expressive questions, beginning with the
phrase, “Know ye not”, revealing the shame of having to answer what should be
obvious based upon the content already set-forth. These questions and
misunderstandings were not just or reasonable. Rather, they were vented from
the mind of a bitter and self-righteous heretic called a Jew, falsely so
called. In an effort to shame them, Paul answered their questions with
questions, saying,

Answer
#1:
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God
forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer
therein? KNOW YE NOT, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into His death?” – Rom. 6:1-3

Answer #2a: “What then? shall we sin,
because we are not under the Law, but under grace? God forbid. KNOW
YE NOT, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are
to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
– Rom. 6:15-16

Answer #2b: “KNOW YE
NOT, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the Law,) how that the Law hath dominionover a manas long as he liveth?” – Rom. 7:1

The phrase, “Know ye not”, means, in other words, “YOU DON’T
UNDERSTAND”. Paul is addressing spiritually blind Jews who gravely
misunderstood! Answer #1 explained the nature of salvation via inward
regeneration. Answer #2a explained the moral fruitfulness of salvation
inwardly and outwardly because of the nature of salvation. Answer #2b explained
the legal freedom made possible by the nature of salvation via a death-to-life
emersion through Christ.

As Paul attested to the bountifulness of grace in that it
exceeds the numerical volume of sins committed and debt owed, those who gloried
in flesh and blood were stubbornly entertaining an inheritance of the Kingdom
by their own righteousness “in the Law” (“unto the Jews a stumblingblock”-1Cor.1:23;
Lk. 3:8, 1 Cor. 1:27, 15:50). What is it that the false Jews didn’t understand?
Answer #1. Namely, that, those who lived in sin did so because they were
born in Adam, a sinner. The family of Adam was a family of spiritually dead
sinners (“death reigned”-Rom.5:14), a point formerly proven, but Jesus
Christ, the quickening Spirit, the only son of Adam unbound by the hereditary spiritual
death, He decided to die on behalf of sinful man and rise
again so that they, being “planted together” in the death that He
died and the resurrection in which He lives, might be severed
from the Family Tree of fallen humanity (Rom. 6:2-13). Mankind’s spiritual
union with the death-to-life emersion which Jesus Christ underwent has, at
last, begun another Family Tree (1 Cor. 15:45, Matt. 13:31-32) of redeemed
humanity who walk in newness of Life via the New Man (Rom. 6:4, Eph. 2:15), an
accomplishment nothing short of a second birth (John 3:3,7)! Thus, with the
bountifulness of grace which outnumbered sin (Rom. 5:20), the provision to
continue in sin has been disallowed and made impossible, as Paul said, “How
shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein” (Rom. 6:2)?

As Paul attested to the nature of salvation via an inward
regeneration, the false Jews bitterly opposed it, and questioned the moral
integrity of it. Being so engulfed in a superstitious allegiance to a heretical
viewpoint of the Law (Jn. 5:39), the false Jews supposed that, without the Law,
outward lawlessness was inevitable no matter what happened inwardly (Matt.
23:26). They truly didn’t understand (“know ye not”) that inward
regeneration established outward moral integrity and lawfulness! The question
of moral integrity was a question of obedience, a question answerable by
mapping-out the pathway to life trod by the redeemed. Paul spoke of salvation
enjoyed as a “the free gift” (Rom. 5:18), and the Jews stumbled at it… so in
Romans 6:14-23 Paul clarified the moral integrity of this “gift” (Rom. 6:23) by
affirming the fruitfulness of grace’s recipients: they walk in “obedience unto
righteousness” (6:16), as “servants of righteousness” (6:18), “servants to
righteousness unto holiness” (6:19), “servants to God” (6:22), bearing “fruit
unto holiness and the end everlasting life” (6:22). Hence the moral truth is
maintained in the New Covenant: there are two paths, one ending in death and
the other ending in life (“the end” -6:21 & “the end” -6:22),
as Moses once said, “I have set before you life and death” (Deut.
30:19).

As Paul attested to the moral integrity of the Law being
maintained in salvation by grace in the New Testament, further commentary is
necessary because, clearly, not all aspects of the Law have been maintained (in
the perspective of false Jews, that is). The unconverted Jews were thinking
what Jesus Christ told them not to think, and Paul knew this (“Think
not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass,
one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.”-Matt.5:17-18).
The unconverted Jews believed that Paul was abolishing the Mosaic Law by nullifying
the Ceremonial Law, but what they perceived to be an abolition of earthly
ceremony was actually a fulfillment of earthly
ceremony on earth and in heaven… and the fulfillment necessitated a
cessation of its practice on earth. Without going into greater detail as the
Book of Hebrews would divulge, Paul
addressed a fundamental point: the indisputable fact that “death”
necessitated a LAWFUL liberty from otherwise unavoidable aspects of the Law.

“Death” is the reason, Paul argued in Romans 7:1-6.
Yes, and “death” was the root-reason for the former answers as well. In
Answer #1, the nature of salvation was proven by a death-to-life
emersion which liberates from fallen humanity’s Family Tree. In Answer #2a, the
nature of salvation (death-to-life) was proven to create moral integrity
both inwardly and outwardly to the end that it upholds the righteousness of the
Law. In Answer #2b, it is further explained how certain aspects of the Law are
no longer binding upon redeemed humanity because of a legal release provided on
the basis of death (“the Law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth”-Rom.7:1),
hence, when a man underwent the death-to-life emersion of salvation in
Jesus Christ, he was lawfully “loosed” from the Law just as a woman was made
“free” from the Laws which forbade remarriage until her husband was dead (Rom.
7:2-3). Parallel to this, Paul said to the Galatians, “I through the Law am
dead to the Law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ” (Gal.
2:19-20). Extending from the lawful allowance which death provided, it was
further stated in Romans,

“Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead
to the Law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even
to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruitunto
God. For when we were in the flesh, the
motions of sins, which were by the Law, did work in our
members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered
from the Law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we
should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” –
Rom. 7:4-6

Having read such bold pronouncements, my reader,
it can appear to some that Paul is morally averse to the Law. Did you
read carefully what was stated above? To a 1st century Jewish mind
these words were offensive, Paul describing salvation as one in which men,
“become dead to the Law” and “delivered from the Law”, Paul explaining that this
experience was freedom from what he called, “the oldness of the letter”.
Indeed, the language used can seem to imply that the Law itself was sin
(“What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? God forbid.”-Rom.7:7). This
impression must be dealt with carefully because 21st century
Christians feel the same way that false Jews felt, for neither of the two
properly understand salvation as it existed in Biblical Judaism to begin with,
and this renders Paul’s arguments unclear and unpersuasive. Sadly, 21st
century Christians identify more with how the 1st century
unconverted Jews felt about Paul’s teaching, and in an effort to convert the
Jews to true Judaism the 21st century Christians get lost in the
crossfire. We have need to take some pause and consider this matter
comprehensively. For example, parallel to the bold statements made in Romans
7:4-6, Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying,

“Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but
of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of
Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his
countenance; which glory was to
be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be
rather glorious? For if the ministration
of condemnation be glory, much
more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no gloryin this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that
which is done away was glorious,
much more that which remaineth is glorious.
Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: And not
as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not
stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: But their minds
were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the
reading of the Old Testament; which vail
is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is
upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall
be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory
of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by
the Spirit of the Lord.” – 2 Cor. 3:6-18

As you can see, my reader, Paul identified the Law in
abrasive terms which, no doubt, communicate strong points. The unsuspecting
Jews felt the impact. Do we? Paul identified the Law as, “the letter [which]
killeth”, “the ministration of death”, “the ministration of condemnation”,
“that which is done away”, and “that which is abolished” (2 Cor. 3:6, 7, 9, 11,
13). In comparison to this, Paul identified the New Testament as, “the Spirit
[which] giveth life”, “the ministration of the Spirit”, “the ministration of
righteousness”, and “that which remaineth” (2 Cor. 3:6, 8, 9, 11). How can the
meaning and purpose of such a comparison be vindicated unless, so it seems,
the Law is sin? As an answer to this, Paul said, “Nay” (Rom. 7:7). Surely, he
has a worthy explanation if only we are granted ears to hear. The methodical
emphasis of these abrasive statements is vindicated in Paul’s own words under
the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in Romans 7:7-14, saying,

Question #3: “What
shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid.”

Answer #3: “Nay, I had not known sin, but
by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not
covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of
concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the
law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the
commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. For sin,
taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me. Wherefore
the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.”

Question #4: “Was then that which is
good MADE death unto me? God forbid.”

Answer #4: “But sin, that it might appear
sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment
might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am
carnal, sold under sin.”

When comparing the Testaments in 2 Corinthians 3:6-18, Paul
spoke of the Law as, “the letter [which] killeth” and “the ministration of
death” (2 Cor. 3:6-7), but to the Romans he dogmatically stated, “the
commandment…was ordained to life” (Rom. 7:10; a more clarifying statement is in
Gal. 3:21). In Romans 7:6, Paul spoke of the Law as, “the oldness of the
letter”, seeming to prove that the Law itself was unspiritual in
essence; nevertheless, Paul did on the contrary affirm, “the Law is Spiritual”
(Rom. 7:14). In 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 the Law was called, “the ministration of
death” and “the ministration of condemnation”, seeming to prove that its
ministry was inherently MADE into death and condemnation because it was an
unspiritual, killing, condemning, and evil system (as could be wrongly
understood by the statements made in Romans 4:15, 5:13, 20; a more clarifying
statement is in Gal. 3:19). Can you relate, my reader? Do you believe that this
conflict is reconcilable? Or would you have joined with the 1st
century multitude which was stirred up against the apostle Paul by these words,
“Men of Israel, HELP: This man [Paul], that teacheth all men every where
against the people, and the Law, and this place: and further brought Greeks
also into the Temple, and hath polluted this Holy Place” (Acts 21:28)?

To the flesh these accusations seem justified and
reasonable, Paul arguing that the killing, death, and condemnation which
resulted from the Law were an out-flow of its lack of spirituality in essence
(“the letter”) – a lack of spirituality which, in turn, revealed its
divine purpose of ordination to minister death instead of life;
thus it, being dead and ordained for death, was not a good system but an evil
and condemning system, so it seemed. My reader, it’s not what it seems!
The truth is, as Paul affirmed, the Law was “spiritual” in essence (Rom. 7:14),
it was “ordained” for “life” and not death (Rom. 7:10), and it was not an evil
system of death but, far from it, it was “holy”, “just”, and “good” (Rom.
7:12)!

My reader, if the Law was used in an unspiritual way
and ministered death, it is because unholy, unjust, and evil
men did abuse that which was ordained for life and goodness. It’s
not the Law which was sinful (Rom. 7:7), the 1st century
false Jews were sinful. The Law was not a system “made [into] death”
(Rom. 7:13) but, rather, the 1st century false Jews were spiritually
dead and could not otherwise, but by the Law, come to perceive their own spiritual
deadness; and, furthermore, when Paul referred to “the letter [which]
killeth” in 2 Corinthians 3:6-7, it was not the Law’s lack of spirituality
which was the manslayer, it was the lack of spirituality of the 1st
century false Jews which caused the Spiritual to slay the unspiritual, the Sinless
to slay the sinner, the Good to slay the evil, the Holy to slay the unholy, the
Living to slay the dead.

You see, what was utterly inconceivable to the 1st
century false Jews was, namely, their own personal wretchedness! And, as a
consequence, it was not Paul who was speaking contrary to the Law but
the false Jews who were living contrary to the Law. They, the false
Jews, condemned Paul for preaching a correct and accurate application of the
Law’s sentence upon 1st century Judaism, but seeing that they could
not and would not see their own sinfulness and were righteous in their own
eyes, their understanding of the Law was reduced down to a formalistic practice
of what to them appeared to be the clear teachings of the Law (this is all that
the flesh can conceptualize from “the letter”). Truly, “the flesh profiteth
nothing” (Jn. 6:63). Therefore, that which the Jews hoped to be their LIFE was
in actuality their DEATH, and they were offended when Paul spoke otherwise (Jn.
1:4-5, 5:43). Paul did not inspire himself to use descriptive language thus, an
offended 1st century Judaism rejected Paul who stood in Jesus
Christ, the Chief Corner Stone, who was rejected first of all (Isa. 8:13-18, 1
Pet. 2:4-8). This conflict was foretold by the prophet Isaiah and confirmed by
the Lord Jesus, saying,

“And He [Jesus] shall be for a Sanctuary; but for
a Stone of stumbling and for a Rock of offence to both the houses
of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem. And many among them shall stumble, and fall,
and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. Bind up the
testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” – Isaiah 8:14-16

“I am come in My Father's Name, and ye receive Me not: if
another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” – John 5:43

Indeed, the testimony was bound and the Law was sealed
from the self-righteous and unconverted Jews so that they could not understand
it! Thus Jesus Christ was a Stone of stumbling and a Rock of offence,
and Paul followed in the same Name and footsteps (Php. 1:21 1 Pet. 2:21). What
was sealed from the offended public was revealed to those who met the terms of
discipleship from generation to generation, as Jesus said (John 7:16-17, Matt.
10:37-39, 11:25). Even so, make no mistake about it! There was a notable
parallelism between Jesus’ and Paul’s preaching to 1st century
Judaism when they said, for example,

“Search the scriptures; for in them
[the letter] ye think ye have eternal life” – Jesus

è

“the letter” – Paul

“there is one that accuseth you,
even Moses, in whom [the letter] ye trust” – Jesus

è

“the ministration of
condemnation” – Paul

What Jesus Christ descriptively and phraseologically termed,
“search the scriptures” (Jn. 5:39), He rebuked as superstitious, faith-less,
and formalistic. It was a searching of the scriptures for the glory of man;
it was NOT a searching after God (John 5:39-47)! Therefore, Christ said, “in
them ye think ye have eternal life…and ye will not come to Me that ye might
have life” (Jn. 5:39-40). The 1st century Jews searched the
scriptures and trustfully thought upon the them (Jn. 5:39), this is true… but
in an unspiritual way. Likewise, also, they trusted in Moses… but in an
unspiritual way. Therefore, their searching of and trusting in the Law
resulted in shallow and outward formalism --- mere lip-service to God (Matt.
15:8). What happened? The Spirituality of the Law was heretically
reduced into what the flesh could conceptualize and imitate --- what Paul
called, “the letter” (Rom. 2:27, 29, 7:6, 2 Cor. 3:6). This selfsame thing,
“the letter”, had become a minister of death and condemnation rather than life.

To refresh your mind and to prepare you for further points of
reference, my reader, carefully consider Paul’s phraseology used in 2
Corinthians 3:6-18 with the aforementioned points in mind.

2 Corinthians 3:6-18

[6] Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter,
but of the Spirit: for the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth
life.

[7] But if the ministration of death, written and
engraven in stones, was glorious,
so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of
Moses for the glory of his
countenance; which glory was to
be done away:

[8] How shall not the ministration of the spirit be
rather glorious?

[9] For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the
ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

[10] For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by
reason of the glory that
excelleth.

[11] For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which
remaineth is glorious.

[12] Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great
plainness of speech:

[13] And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face,
that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that
which is abolished:

[14] But their minds were blinded: for until this day
remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; which vail is done away in
Christ.

[15] But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is
upon their heart.

[16] Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail
shall be taken away.

[17] Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty.

[18] But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the
glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as
by the Spirit of the Lord.

It will be helpful to examine this passage henceforth by
distinguishing two great emphasis found therein.

Emphasis #1: Look carefully, and
see, verse 6, 13, 14, 15, and 16 were written in reference to the unspiritual
condition of false Jews who, in their attempted relationship with the Law,
became heart-less observers of a dead religion, unspiritual followers of mere
letters, justified in their own eyes while being utterly void of the Spirit of
God. Why? The Spirituality of the Law was indiscernible to the false Jews
because, Paul explained, there was a vail over their hearts which blinded their
eyes and deafened their ears from the truth.

Emphasis #2: Look carefully, and
see, verses 7-16 did also speak in reference to the fading glory of the Old Testament and the
unfading glory of the New
Testament. Take note: The apostle Paul did not affirm that the Old Testament
was without glory, but that the glory which it had was temporary, its
purposes inferior, and its goals intermediate, all in reference to the coming
of a greater glory. Paul’s
denunciating statements made in regard to the Old Testament in verses 7-16 are
evidently justifiable when, very specifically, a comparison of glory is being made between the two
Testaments. Again, I say, Paul was not saying that the Old Testament was
without glory, but in comparison
to the glory of the New Testament
the Old Testament was successfully rendered thus (“For even
that which was made glorious had no glory in
this respect, by reason of the glory
that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which
remaineth is glorioius.-2Cor.3:10-11).

How can these two emphasis be cohesively and understandably
intertwined in a single divine argumentation, rendered in 2 Corinthians 3:6-18?
Well, my reader, it was a two-teared argument soundly fashioned from a mind
that understood the course of salvation in Jewish History theretofore.

It is seemly for Paul to incorporate rebukes of false Judaism
while arguing for the supremacy of the New Covenant because, wittingly, true
Judaism did prophesy of the coming domination of false Judaism, and,
furthermore, this event did set the stage for the unveiling of an eternal
purpose which had theretofore been hidden in God. This means that the fall
of Judaism into widespread apostasy was instrumentally used for a greater and
more supreme eternal purpose: the incarnation of the Son of God. To
condescend to those who are not versed in Biblical History, a brief overview is
necessary.

Moses (the Law) prophesied how there would be a Great Falling
Away in the Old Testament dispensation, an experience where God’s sons and
daughters (Deut. 32:18-20) would be turned to sin, fleshly corruption, and
spiritual desolation – even unto the widespread practice of Pagan Idolatry in the
name of the God of Israel. Take, for example, the apostate generations of the
Judges, the desecration and robbery of the glory of God in Shiloh, the
backsliding of Solomon and the subsequent division of the Kingdom of Israel
from the Kingdom of Judah in the days of Jeroboam and Rehoboam, and, alas, this
marked the beginning of widespread idolatry and apostasy in the Land of Israel
and Judah all throughout the generations of the Kings, but especially in
Israel. These generations were not without a few brief intermissions of revival
under the leadership of righteous Kings and Prophets, but, nevertheless, the
falling away foretold by Moses was progressively in the works from generation
to generation. This falling away was foretold to progressively reach a climax
point at which God would temporarily cast away the Israelites by hiding His
face from them (Deut. 32:20-21, Rom. 10:19, 11:11), a time at which God was
doing again what He did in Shiloh centuries prior: an utter removal of His
presence from His people via the Assyrian and Babylonian Captivities.

This eventual degeneration of Israel (Jer. 2:2-3,21, Isa.
5:1-7, 63:10) was symbolically, metaphorically, and typologically foretold by
the dimming of Moses’ face in 2 Corinthians 3:6-18 – a symbol that Israel would
not be enabled to look steadfastly upon the light of truth which shined
therefrom because the Spirit of God was going to progressively depart from the
Israelites as their iniquities increased (Lev. 26:14-46, Ezek. 20:4-44, Jer.
11:7,11). Conveying the eventual blinding of the Jewish heart (2 Cor. 3:14,
Rom. 11:7,25), Moses put a vail over his face. The Jews, discerning not when or
if the glory of the LORD was absent (Ezek. 10:18-22, 11:22-25, Mk. 11:11-21),
provoked God to repent concerning them (God in
the ways of Man; Matt. 21:33-46), therefore as the vail obstructed the
perception of dimming light from Moses’ face, a vail of spiritual blindness
upon the hearts of Judaism compelled them to boast in a God-less Judaism of no
Spiritual glory (Rom. 11:7, Matt. 13:14-15), a religion of mere letters and
fleshly formalism (Rom. 2:20, 27, 7:6, 2 Cor. 3:6)!

It was not that the inherent glory of the Old
Testament’s liveliness, spirituality, goodness, holiness,
and righteousness did fade, it remained the same and served its purpose
in the remnant who was enabled by God to see, hear, and believe (such men and
women like Zachariah, Elisabeth, Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, the disciples of
John, the disciples of Jesus, etc.). Nevertheless, the prophetic course was fulfilled
in that, God’s willingness to reveal it and the people’s ability to observe it
would be progressively decreased. Taking a step outside of human thought and
ingenuity, Paul declared eternal purposes hidden in God through the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost. He rendered reasons for the blindness which
befell the Jews unto their eventual fall by giving reference to the
transcending purpose of the Law in light of the New Covenant in Jesus
Christ. With God’s eternal purposes in mind, a fitting title to give the
Law is, “Our Schoolmaster”.

“the Law was our Schoolmaster” –
Galatians 3:24

This transcending &
eternal purpose of the Law sheds light on the phraseological word-choice used
when Paul spoke of the Law as, “the ministration of death” and “the
ministration of condemnation” (2 Cor. 3:6-18).

“the
Law is not made for a righteous man, but for a lawless and disobedient…” – 1
Tim. 1:8-10

“by the Law is the knowledge of sin” – Rom.
3:20

“Because
the Law worketh wrath: for where no Law is, there is no transgression.” –
Rom. 4:15

“For
until the Law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no
Law.” – Rom. 5:13

“Moreover
the Law entered, that the offence might abound.” – Rom. 5:20

“Wherefore
then serveth the Law? It was added because of transgressions, till the
Seed [Jesus] should come to whom the promise was made;” – Gal. 3:19

What does it mean for Paul to say in Galatians
3:24, “the Law was our Schoolmaster”? The above references did identify the
eternal purpose behind the Law progressively throughout Romans, but then, in
Chapter 7, greater explanation was given, Paul testifying,

“What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? God
forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the Law: for I had not known
lust, except the Law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking
occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For
without the Law sin was dead. For I was alive without the Law
once: but when the commandment came, sinrevived, and I died.
And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto
death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by
it slew me. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the commandment holy,
and just, and good.

Was then that which is good made death unto me? God
forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by
that which is good; that sin by the commandmentmight
become exceeding sinful. For we know that the Law is spiritual: but
I am carnal, sold under sin.” – Rom. 7:7-14

I say again, in affirmation of Paul’s clear statements made
above to squelch the rampant misunderstanding of 1st century Jews,
the inherent glory of the Old Testament’s liveliness, spirituality,
goodness, holiness, and righteousness did not fade away,
it remained the same and served its purpose in the remnant who was enabled by
God to see, hear, and believe, but God’s willingness to reveal it and the
people’s ability to observe it was progressively decreased, hence the rampant
misunderstandings. Thus the Law served its eternal purpose in God, Paul
argued. The Law gave the knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20), worked wrath (Rom.
4:15), enforced the imputation of sin (Rom. 5:13), was instrumentally related
to abounding offences (Rom. 5:20) so that sin might appear as sin in the eyes
of mankind (Rom 7:13), so that sin might become exceedingly sinful and
repulsive to all men (Rom. 7:13) …to what end? What eternal purpose is
thereby fulfilled? Indeed, it seems like a “ministration of death” and a
“ministration of condemnation” …but is it? On the contrary, the Law enabled and
established life and salvation in that it was “our Schoolmaster to bring us
unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24)! In other words,
it stripped the garments of self-righteousness from man leaving him naked, ashamed,
helpless, and dependent on a plan of redemption which would be by grace through
faith, and not of ourselves!

Expounding this in Romans 7, the appeal was made to the
audience to reckon the purpose of the Law from the standpoint of conversion
from flesh-to-Spirit. Paul, speaking after the flesh (“when we were in the
flesh”-Rom.7:5), affirmed, “I had not known sin, but by the Law” (Rom.
7:7). The Law did not cause sin or make death, the ferocity and wickedness of
sin took occasion through the Law and was thereby aggravated to wreak havoc
upon man and further the conquest of spiritual death. “The Law
worketh wrath” through “offences abounding” (Rom. 4:15, 5:20, Gal. 3:19), yes,
and through just wrath being expressed against abounding offences the Law
schooled the Jews to perceive their need for salvation via God’s unmerited
favor purchased by an atonement (Gal. 3:24); thus the Old Covenant was not a
Testament that was void of faith but instrumental to faith! The temporary
imposing of shadows (Heb. 9:8-15) did teach and school the OT saints to
believe in God so that when the actual image came they would comprehend its
magnificence and believe in Christ forever (Gal. 3:24, Heb. 10:1). “Wherefore
the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24). The Law was not in contradiction with but
complementary to faith, shadow-to-reality; thanks be to God!

Before a further survey is
conducted to learn exactly how the Old Testament saints were schooled by the
Law via shadows, let us consult the Book of Galatians. Paul did
further explain details behind the eternal purpose of God with respect
to the temporary purpose of the Law in the Book of Galatians. The
argumentation presented there does helpfully confirm all the conclusions we
have drawn from the inspired text of Romans heretofore, but it will also lead
us to consider another profound reason why Paul was and is vindicated for using
the abrasive and seemingly misleading language found in 2 Corinthians 3:7-11
(“the ministration of death”, “glory to be done away”, “ministration of
condemnation”, “that which is done away”).

In Galatians Chapters 3-4, which will be our
focus, Paul did once again use phrases referential to Heretical Judaism, True
Judaism, and Sinless Perfection. This was contextually relevant because in
Galatia, yet again, the Gentile Church was being overcome by false Judaism.
Paul labored to relieve them from feeling obliged to do “the works of the Law”
in the flesh and outward formalism (Gal. 3:5), severely warning them. The
Gentile Christians were being turned from salvation by faith through grace unto
false Judaism, an anti-faith and anti-Spirit religion of heretics. Paul was
bold but comprehensive in his address, and the following select portion of the
text will serve our needs in this study.

Galatians
3:1-4:10

[1] O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched
you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ
hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

[2] This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by
the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?

[3] Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are
ye now made perfect by the flesh?

[4] Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be
yet in vain.

[5] He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and
worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the Law, or by
the hearing of faith?

[6] Even as Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness.

[7] Know ye therefore that they which areof faith,
the same are the children of Abraham.

[8] And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify
the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying,
In thee shall all nations be blessed.

[9] So then they which beof faith are blessed
with faithful Abraham.

[10] For as many as are of the worksof the Law
are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them.

[11] But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight
of God, it is evident: for, The just shall liveby faith.

[12] And the Law is notof faith: but,
The man that doeth them shall live in them.

[13] Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law,
being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth
on a tree:

[14] That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles
through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith.

[15] Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be
but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth
thereto.

[16] Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He
saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is
Christ.

[17] And this I say, that the Covenant, that was confirmed
before of God in Christ, the Law, which was four hundred and thirty
years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

[18] For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no
more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

[19] Wherefore then serveth the Law? It was added
because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was
made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

[20] Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

[21] Is the Law then against the promises of God?
God forbid: for if there had been a Law given which could have given life,
verily righteousness should have been by the Law.

[22] But the scripture hath concluded all under sin,
that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that
believe.

[23] But before faith came, we were kept under the Law,
shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

[24] Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring
us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

[25] But after that faith is come, we are no longer under
a Schoolmaster.

[26] For ye are ALL the children of Godby faith
in Christ Jesus.

[27] For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ
have put on Christ.

[28] There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is
neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female:
for ye are ALL one in Christ Jesus.

[29] And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise.

[1] Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child,
differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

[2] But is under tutors and governors until the
time appointed of the father.

[3] Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage
under the elements of the world:

[4] But when the fulness of the time was come, God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

[5] To redeem them that were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption of sons.

[6] And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

[7] Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son;
and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

[8] Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto
them which by nature are no gods.

[9] But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are
known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements,
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

[10] Ye observe days, and months, and times,
and years.

To understand the terminology used in Galatians Chapters 3-4,
let’s follow the contextual evidence provided in Chapters 1-2 & 5-6. From
the beginning, Paul was declaring the existence of “another gospel” which was
contrary to both faith and grace (Gal. 1:6). This was the
perverted “gospel” of the invading Judaizers (false Jews) who were corrupting
the Christians of Galatia (Gal. 1:7). Paul spoke of the bewitchment whereby
they deceived the Galatians, to wit, they were “removed from Him that called
[them] into the grace of Christ” (Gal. 1:6). How did it happen? By what
heresy? Supremely, the Jews were compelling the Gentile Christians of Galatia
to believe that they must be physically circumcised for justification in the
sight of God (Gal. 2:3, 5:2-4), which meant, in other words, to be “justified
by the works of the Law” (Gal. 2:16).

Paul did boldly call this religion, “the Jews’ Religion”
(Gal. 1:13-14). To no surprise, this phrase was referential to false and
heretical Judaism, just like Revelation 2:9 made mention of such, saying, “I
know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the
synagogue of Satan.” Confirming this, Paul confessed his past relationship with
this “religion” and acknowledged the basis of its teachings, saying,
“I…profited in the Jew’s Religion above many my equals in mind own
nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers”
(Gal. 1:14). Again, to no surprise, the Lord Jesus gave scathing rebukes to 1st
century Jews who dared to make void the commandments of Biblical Judaism
because of mere traditions (Matt. 15:2-3, 6). What was “the Jews’ Religion”,
essentially? It was a religion which wrongly taught that one could be
“justified by the works of the Law” (Gal. 2:16) in general, but in this case
physical circumcision was the focal point in Galatia.

In an effort to loosen the grip of heresy upon the mind of
the Gentile Christians, Paul tactfully addressed a situation which arose in
Antioch concerning Peter and certain Jews who were blamable and temporarily
carried away in dissimulation (denying the Gospel so as to observe the damnable
heresies of false Judaism; see Gal. 2:11-21). Paul was using this example of
Peter’s backsliding as a reproof to the Galatians who were taken in the same
snare. To expose this snare, Paul had to expose 1st century Judaism
for what it was in truth; and seeing that these Jews, falsely so called,
insisted upon the physical circumcision of the Gentile Christians, they were
proud to call themselves “the Circumcision” or “the Concision” (Eph. 2:11, Php.
3:2). Albeit, Paul said of them, “neither they themselves who are circumcised keep
the Law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your
flesh” (Gal. 6:13). You see, this outward sign of physical circumcision
became a perverted gospel to them because they gloried in their own flesh, in
false Judaism, in formalistic righteousness they wrongly supposed to gain from
the Law.

It is important to note what is meant by the phrase written
in Galatians 2:15, which said, “Jews by nature”. Finding it useful to
use 1st century terms of Jewish identification, Paul used this
phrase while rebuking Peter, saying, “If thou [Peter], being a Jew, livest
after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the
Gentiles to lives as the Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not
sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of
the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus
Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the
works of the Law: for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be
justified” (Gal. 2:14-16). To be a Jew by nature meant to be a Jew
by the flesh (“circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the
tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the Law, a Pharisee”-Php.3:5),
the same thing Paul reckoned as an anti-Gospel and heretical “confidence in the
flesh” (Php. 3:3-4) when and if it was pursued as a means of justification.
Thus, to reckon a “Jew by nature” in comparison with what was said of the
Gentiles, who were called, “sinners of the Gentiles”, it was identifying their
condition in the flesh (Gal. 2:15). Therefore, when Paul questioning Peter why
he was compelling the Gentiles to live after the manner of the Jews, the Jews
who were in reference were those of 1st century false Judaism. It
was understood by all 1st century saints that Peter and the other
Jews with him at Antioch (before they were dissimulating) were the real Jews of
Biblical Judaism, despite the use of Paul’s phraseology. Paul’s point was that
Peter and the others were departing from real Judaism to heretical Judaism, the
true to the false. These contextual points are important and must be coherently
traced throughout the Book of Galatians, lest we misunderstand what is being
condemned and what is being extolled.

False Judaism truly believed that they would receive the
inheritance of Abraham (Heaven) simply because they were the physical seed of
Abraham by birth and by physical circumcision, a confidence in the flesh which
John the Baptist rebuked, saying, “Begin not to say within yourselves, We have
Abraham as our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to
raise up children unto Abraham” (Lk. 3:7-9). This faith-less and grace-less
Judaism which gloried in the flesh did pervade the Land of Israel in the 1st
century, thus Peter and Paul, the apostles, and all the disciples of Jesus had
to tear down everything they once gloried in for justification on this regard;
and referencing this in the context of Peter’s backsliding, Paul said, “If I
build gain the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor”
(Gal. 2:18). Now, truly, this can’t be phraseologically referential to true
Judaism, right? Paul was not persuaded of the necessity to destroy the Law as
it was correctly taught, interpreted, and applied by the remnant of true Jews
who were forsaken by 1st century Judaism, right? God forbid. My
reader, I will not forbear to remind you of what Jesus said and Paul echoed,
saying,

“Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or
the Prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.” – Matt. 5:17

“Do we then make void the Law through faith? God
forbid: Yea, we establish the Law.” – Rom. 3:31

This being the case, what was a true and right interpretation
of the Law in Peter’s situation of backsliding? It was, as Paul spoke of
himself as an example in Galatians 2:19-20. Paul, being a true Jew, gave
reference to the Judaism that Peter and the others were temporarily departing
from so as to rebuild the works-based system of false Judaism, and using
himself as an example he extolled true Judaism, saying: “For I through the
Law am dead to the Law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with
Christ” (Gal. 2:19-20). This is exactly what was already argued in Romans
7:1-6, formerly covered. In saying this, Paul meant, “I do not frustrate the
grace of God: for if righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is
dead in vain.” (Gal. 2:21). We can be certain what Paul was meaning here by,
“frustrate the grace of God”, because Paul did later rebuke the backslidden
Galatians, saying, “Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised,
Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is
circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole Law. Christ is become of
no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the Law; ye are fallen
from grace” (Gal. 5:2-4). Therefore, when Paul spoke of “righteousness
coming by the Law”, as in Galatians 2:21, it is clear he was referencing the
formalism of false Judaism who hoped in justification by physical circumcision
and the like.

With the aforementioned citations in mind as a
contextual casement around Galatians Chapters 3:1-4:10, Paul’s word-usage is no
longer unclear. When referencing, “the works of the Law” (Gal. 3:2,5) and being
“made perfect by the flesh” (Gal. 3:3), Paul was identifying those who were
being circumcised so as to be justified, so they thought. In so doing the
Galatian Christians thought to become real children of Abraham and
Israel, so they thought. In so doing the Galatian Christians thought to become real
Jews, so they thought. They were bewitched by False Judaism! Disproving this,
Paul preached and applied true Judaism’s doctrine of justification as it was
illustrated in the life of Abraham, a true Jew, a man who was justified
by faith (Gal. 3:6-9)! Consider the following parallelism.

Galatians 3:6-14, 18

[6] Even as Abraham believed
God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.

[7] Know ye therefore that
they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

[8] And the scripture,
foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached
before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.

[9] So then they which be of
faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

[10] For as many as are of
the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written,
Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are
written in the book of the Law to do them.

[11] But that no man is
justified by the Law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just
shall live by faith.

[12] And the Law is not
of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

[13] Christ hath redeemed us
from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us: for it is
written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

[14] That the blessing of
Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might
receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

[18] For if the inheritance be
of the Law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to
Abraham by promise.

Romans 4:10-16

[10] How was it then reckoned?
when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but
in uncircumcision.

[11] And he received the sign
of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had
yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that
believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be
imputed unto them also:

[12] And
the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but
who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham,
which he had being yet uncircumcised.

[13] For the promise, that he
should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through
the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

[14] For if they which are of
the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none
effect:

[15] Because the Law worketh
wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

[16] Therefore it is of
faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to
all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also
which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

Firstly, let us take note: the people who were
“of faith” (Gal. 3:7,9,12) were contrary to those who were “of the works of the
Law” (Gal. 3:10,12,18). These phrases were referential to true Jews and false
Jews. The false Jews, who sought justification by the works of the Law, were
self-righteous and proud because they couldn’t see their own wretchedness (thus
it behooved Paul to say, “the scripture hath concluded all under sin”-Gal.3:22)
before the standard of Sinless Perfection demanded by the Moral Law (referenced
in Gal. 3:10, 12). Paul was not discounting that true Judaism was a religion of
justification by faith, for, you see, he quoted Habakkuk 2:4, which states,
“The just shall live by faith.” This verse was quoted right in between verse 10
and 12, the two verses where Paul was referencing the moral standard of Sinless
Perfection. Sinless Perfection was impossible to achieve (Rom. 3:23), indeed,
but God provided a lawful remedy to fulfill this
moral demand of the Law so as to live in a
state of innocence, a legal status as if the true Jews were sinlessly
perfect and had never sinned at all their entire lifetime – by way of grace
through faith in provisional atonement this impossibility was made possible
(therefore scripture does affirm, and does not deny the following cross
references to Gal. 3:10 [Deut. 11:26-28, 27:26] & Gal. 3:12 [Lev. 18:5,
Neh. 9:29, Ezek. 20:11, 13, Matt. 19:17, Lk. 10:25-28, Rom. 10:5-6, Deut.
6:24-25, 4:1-4])! Therefore “the Law”, interpreted like the false Jews and
related to in a faith-less and formalistic way, “is not of faith”, albeit the
true and real interpretation of the Law was of faith (the Law was established
by faith and fulfilled by the promises – Rom. 3:31, Gal. 3:21-25)! Before
moving forward, my reader, look at the categories below to see the consistency
of what has been argued thus far.

Phrases
Referential to Heretical Judaism

Self-righteous men who do not see their
sinfulness and, thereby, their faith & confidence is put in their flesh
and not in the atonement, and being thus rendered void of empowering grace
these men cannot understand or fulfill the doable aspects of the Law, hence
they put their hopes in being justified by a heretical understanding of the
Law.

·“justified
by the works of the Law” – Gal. 2:16

·“righteousness
come by the Law” – Gal. 2:21

·“the
works of the Law” – Gal. 3:2

·“made
perfect by the flesh” – Gal. 3:3

·“of the
works of the Law” – Gal. 3:10

·“the
Law” – Gal. 3:12

·“of the
Law” – Gal. 3:18

·“through
the Law” – Rom. 4:13

·“of the
Law” – Rom. 4:14

·Note:
“of the Law” in Rom. 6:16 is different because it identifies Jews by flesh in
a broader sense (true or false Jews), rather than identifying false Jews who
trusted in their flesh.

Phrases
Referential to True Judaism

Humble men who see their sinfulness and, yet,
through faith in the atonement, are empowered by grace to understand and
fulfill the doable aspects of the Law through a confidence in God and not
dead works.

·“of
faith” – Gal. 3:7

·“of
faith” – Gal. 3:9

·“by
faith” – Gal. 3:11

·“of
faith” – Gal. 3:12

·“of
promise” & “by promise” – Gal. 3:18

Phrases
Referential to Sinless Perfection

·“to
continue in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them” –
Gal. 3:10

·“righteousness
existing by the Law” – Gal. 3:21

·“a
debtor to do the whole Law” – Gal. 5:3

·“keep
the Law” – Gal. 6:13

Those who sought justification by the formalism
of the Law through the flesh were thereby bound to keep the sinlessly perfect
moral standard demanded by the Law, a thing which was impossible; therefore
such men were thoroughly condemned. This is the argument used by Paul in Gal.
3:10-13 and 3:19-25 so as to strip the false Jews of their self-righteousness,
just as Romans 7:7-14 illustrated.

Galatians 3:19-29

[19] Wherefore
then serveth the Law? It was added because of transgressions,
till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained
by angels in the hand of a mediator.

[20] Now a mediator is not a
mediator of one, but God is one.

[21] Is the law then
against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law
given which could have given life,
verily righteousnessshould have been by the law.

[22] But the scripture hath
concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be
given to them that believe.

[23] But before faith came, we
were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be
revealed.

[24] Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

[25] But after that faith is
come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

[26] For ye are all the
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

[27] For as many of you as
have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

[28] There is neither Jew nor
Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for
ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

[29] And if ye be Christ's,
then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

“What
shall we say then? Is the Law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not
known sin, but by the Law: for I had not known lust, except the Law had said,
Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in
me all manner of concupiscence. For without the Law sin was dead. For I was
alive without the Law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I
died. And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto
death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it
slew me. Wherefore the Law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and
good.

Was then that which is good
made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin,
working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might
become exceeding sinful. For we know that the Law is spiritual: but I am
carnal, sold under sin.” – Rom. 7:7-14

My reader, look carefully at Galatians 3:10 and
3:21 before we proceed.

Has
the Law only brought “curse” (Gal.
3:10)? No.

Has
the Law only brought “death” and
advanced “unrighteousness” (Gal.
3:21)? No.

Has
there ever been any Jews who experienced “blessing”, “life”, and
“righteousness” while under the Law (Gal. 3:21)? Yes.

To those who related to the Law in a lawful,
spiritual, truthful, and faith-filled manner, these men (true Jews) experienced
“blessing”, “life”, and “righteousness”
inwardly and outwardly, nevertheless the “blessing”,
“life”, and “righteousness” was not divinely granted to
them because of any virtue contained in the earthliness of the Law. No, but on
the basis of this one thing, and only this: because the Law was ordained by God
as Earthly Shadows with the eternalpurpose to testify, declare,
and teach mankind of Heavenly Realities, sins were forgiven and God’s wrath was
forborne from Old Testament believers because by faith they put their trust in
the testimony and witness of the Law given via shadows (Rom. 3:21, Lk.
24:25-27, 44). Thus, even when the actual substance and reality of “blessing”, “life”,
“forgiveness”, and “righteousness” had not yet come into manifestation
– and the Heavenly Ceremonies therewith have not yet been performed so that
mankind might be substantially saved – God dispensed these virtues prior to
their purchase and performance on the basis of man’s faith in what had been
promised but not yet provided.

To those who related to the Law unlawfully,
without spirituality, untruthfully, and void of faith, these men experienced “curses”, “death”,
and “condemnation”. They experienced
this, not because Jesus Christ had not yet come, but because these men were
unbelievers! Paul wrote to refute the rampant confusion caused by Jewish
heretics, hence all the phraseological references, and, conveniently, Paul did
also extol the supremacy of the New Covenant all throughout his writings
because the reformation had finally come! True Jews understood this. Meanwhile,
indeed, to unbelieving Jews the Law was a “minister of death” and a “minister of condemnation”, a system which gave no life and
provided no righteousness (not even provisionally and certainly not substantially),
but to believing Jews the Law was a Gospel Message which bore good tidings of a
future provision they were allowed to receive and experience by faith – God
counting their faith as righteousness – even though the actual righteousness
which they were believing for had not yet come into substance and reality!
Thus, what can we call the condition of such men, the true Jews? They were,
according to the Book of Galatians, under a Schoolmaster, Tutor, and Governor
until the appointed time.

Galatians 3:22-25

[22] But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the
promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

[23] But before faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut
up unto the faith which should afterwards be REVEALED.

[24] Wherefore the Law was our Schoolmasterto
bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

[25] But after that faith is COME, we are no longer
under a Schoolmaster.

Galatians 4:1-10

[1] Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child,
differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all;

[2] But is under tutors and governors until the
time appointed of the father.

[3] Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage
under the elements of the world:

[4] But when the fulness of the time was come, God
sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

[5] To redeem them that were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption of sons.

[6] And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the
Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

[7] Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son;
and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

[8] Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto
them which by nature are no gods.

[9] But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are
known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements,
whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

[10] Ye observe days, and months, and times,
and years.

Jesus Christ was herein called the possessor/author/owner of,
“the faith” and “that faith” (Gal. 3:23, 25). He was “the faith” which was of
old, declared by shadows, and at last, “REVEALED” (Gal. 3:23)! Jesus had
finally “COME” (Gal. 3:25)! In this shadow-to-reality manner, the Law
effectually brought every believing Jew to Christ from faith to faith! Hence
the Law was called a “Schoolmaster”, a “Tutor”, and a “Governor” until “the
time appointed” in which “GOD SENT FORTH HIS SON” (Gal. 3:24, 4:2, 4)!
Hallelujah. The Law and the Prophets testified and witnessed of Christ, but
they did not substantially reveal Jesus of Nazareth. The Law and the Prophets
bore a testimony of what, who, how, and why the
Jews should and must believe, but they did not testify of or provide the actual
Person the Jews were made to look-after. Thus, in this way, they were “kept
under the Law” and “shut up”, in what (Gal. 3:23)? True
Judaism of the OT was not at enmity to faith, it was a “witness” of faith (Rom.3:21),
a Schoolmaster (Gal. 3:24), so that when Jesus Christ came its purpose had been
fulfilled and its practice abolished (2 Cor. 3:13). The Law’s inferiority to
the New Testament is poignantly expressed in the description that the Law is,
“that which is abolished” (2 Cor. 3:13), but let us be careful to understand
how the abolition of the Law does not “void” it (Rom. 3:31).

The believing Jews were “kept under the Law” and
“shut up” in what the apostles called, “the yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1, Acts
15:10). They were constrained by a faith-based system which depicted the Person
and Work of Jesus Christ who had not yet come, thus until He comes they were
forced and held under, as under a yoke, to keep the Ceremonial Law as Shadow
Gospels until, at last, the Heavenly Reality did COME! The Ceremonial Law of
Gospel Shadows were enforced on earth, for earthlings, by earthly things, and
this is what Paul is referencing when he called the yoke of bondage a
confinement in “weak and beggarly elements” (Gal. 4:9). Hence, so as to confirm
the superiority of the New Testament, Paul continually referenced the fading
glory of the Old Testament – a glory so inferior that it is as nothing in
comparison to the reality which the shadows declared – because, by necessity,
the earth, earthlings, earthly things, and earthliness are passing away. The
earthliness of the Old Testament Ceremonial Law inherently necessitates its
transient and temporary existence, as the inspired writer of Hebrews did
further prove.

Differing
Components in a Singular Gaze:Though Old Covenants and the New
Covenant do share this singular gaze, the position from which they stand to
gaze is of a differing present-tense inheritance. Because of this, the New
Covenant saints are greater in every way! The Old Testament is a
Covenant agreement between God and man via earthly shadow –
shadows which were passing away – but the New Covenant is an agreement between
God and man via the heavenly realities (the substance that the
earthly shadows declared). The difference between the two is emphasized in one
point, foremost of all: that which is earthly is by essence, passing
away, but that which is heavenly is by essence, eternal and undying.
Hebrews chapters 7-9 are devoted to make plain this glorious attribute of the
New Covenant, that its eternality is the victory of the “reformation” (Heb. 9:10). That now Christ, who is our Perfection (Heb. 10:14), Sacrifice (Heb. 10:12), Intercessor (Heb. 7:25), Priest (Heb. 5:6), and King (Heb. 1:8; Lk. 1:33), is eternal in His Person and His Work,
and therefore the Covenant agreement is eternal.

The Old Covenant is found “faulty” (Heb. 8:7-8) for all the reasons above, and
more - every reason centering around the earthliness and carnality of
the Old Covenant. The “law made nothing perfect” (Heb. 7:19) because it was a “carnal commandment”
(Heb. 7:16) of “weakness and un-profitableness”
(Heb. 7:18; and compare this passage with Eph. 2:15, Gal. 4:3, 9, Col. 2:20, Heb. 8:1-5, 10:1). The “heavenly calling” (Heb. 3:1) and heavenly commandments given by a
Testator who is a Heavenly Man, effectually reform the former Law by a
“disannulling of the commandment” given in the Old Covenant (Heb. 7:18). Christ is the eternal Priest after the
order of Melchisedec, and with this change of “priesthood” there must be “a
change also of the law” (Heb. 7:12).

The priesthood of Christ was sworn in by an oath,
which the scripture states, emphasizes how He is a surety for a better
testament… but why? Because the oath (Heb. 7:21) signifies that He is an everlasting Man
(“He ever liveth to make intercession for them”-Heb. 7:25), and therefore His priesthood is not as
the nominal, earthly, and meager ones
in the Old Covenant. For this reason Christ’s is in an “unchangeable
priesthood” (Heb. 7:24), specifically because,
namely, He is caught up in the “heavenly things” (Heb. 9:23-24)! Christ is “consecrated” -- “there” --
behind the “veil” of heaven (Heb. 6:19-20), standing in office as a High
Priest “for evermore” (Heb. 7:28)! This, my reader, is so much greater and
better a Covenant than that which is earthly! Of necessity according to the
order, and of necessity according to the Man, and of necessity according to the
arena of His ministerial office – Christ “abideth a priest continually” (Heb. 7:3)!

When Paul called the Law “old” (Heb. 8:13, Rom. 7:6), it was
to emphasize that it was passing away; it was not to indicate it’s lack
of spirituality. Albeit, ironically, those who were unspiritual false Jews did
relate to the Law as unto a mere letter, being blind to The Spirituality of the
Law. Hence, false Judaism did rise and the remnant was small, persecuted, and
insignificant, but not to the fault of the Old Covenant. There was no fault in
the OT with respect of God’s willingness to reveal glory (it had glory), life
(it was ordained for life), spirituality (it was spiritual), and righteousness
(it allowed for but did not provide the substance of justification and
righteousness) through it, but the glory, life, spirituality, and righteousness
which it did offer was like comparing the transient nothingness of a shadow
compared to the actual image and substance which does cast a shadow! Therein is
the fault, very specifically; it is with respect to its ability to offer real,
substantial, heavenly, and eternal redemption, but this fault did not CAUSE or
JUSTIFY the rebellion of the people against it.

Apart from the eternal purpose of God to manifest Jesus
Christ, there would have been no justification (or salvation) within time at
any point prior to the Cross. Justification was allowed by the means of faith
in the shadow even though the shadow was insubstantial to save. In this way,
apart from the surety of the coming substance and reality of justification and
salvation, the insubstantial shadows would have been without value. With
respect to the eternal counsels of God (God in
the Ways of God), the Old Covenant was ordained as a temporary and
insubstantial infrastructure, but through the eternal counsel of God the Lord
was able to justify OT believers as they had faith in the shadows which
declared the Gospel of the Son of God who was not yet to be manifest (“he
received him in a figure”-Heb.11:19).

Even when the Law was related to by faith for a
means of salvation by true Jews who experienced an inward grace to be real
converts (interpreting and understanding the Law in its correct meaning and
intent), the Law still offered no substance of real redemption (forgiveness,
righteousness, glory, and life) with respect to the Man,
Method, and Infrastructure needed for such an accomplishment; albeit, even
though the Law was insufficient in this way, it was still a faithful witness
via shadows foretelling the coming of actual redemption, a Gospel message used
by God to justify OT saints by faith (their faith counted for righteousness
before the substance of “the faith” was unveiled in reality as a Man who would
sinlessly and perfectly live on earth and, likewise, perform the ceremony of
salvation in the infrastructure of redemption located in Heaven for all
eternity).

ROMANS CHAPTER 7:15-8:17

In continuation of the argument we have observed
thus far in Romans 7:1-14, Paul did, in Romans 7:15-8:4, embark upon further
confirmations and illustrations. Paul sought to prove contrary to what was
slanderously reported of his doctrine, namely that the Law was spiritual, holy,
just, and good, and he also pointed out the root of all misunderstanding among
the false Jews, namely that mankind was unspiritual, unholy, unjust, and
without goodness. Having left off with the statement, “For we know that the Law
is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin”, in Romans 7:14, Paul began to
impersonate a true Jew’s relationship with The Spirituality of the Law in a
very specific context for very specific points of argument.

Paul was seeking to prove that the Law was good
but men are evil. In reference to the goodness of the Law via impersonation,
Paul said, “I consent unto the Law that it is good” (Rom. 7:16). In reference
to the wickedness of himself in the flesh, Paul said, “O wretched man that I
am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death” (Rom. 7:24)? In speaking
these statements, we can see the conclusive points Paul was seeking to
communicate: The Law was good and he (that is, in the flesh) was without
goodness. Paul’s points were consistent and building in this regard, affirming:
“sin that dwelleth in me” (7:17), “in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no
good thing” (7:18), “sin that dwelleth in me” (7:20), “the law of sin which is
in my members” (7:23), “the body of this death” (7:24). In arguing these
points, Paul was seeking to strip false Jews from their self-righteous ways of gloryingin the flesh. They actually believed that goodness did in fact
dwell in their flesh, my reader, you must remember that. Paul endeavored
to uphold that the Law was spiritual, holy, just, good
and the man of flesh was unspiritual, unholy, unjust,
and withoutgoodness, while at the same time illustrating what
salvation was in relationship to the carnal man who was nevertheless indwelt by
the Spirit of God, and, yet, in it he remained in continuous need of
deliverance from the remnant of himself so as to keep the righteousness of the
Law.

We know that Paul said, “I am carnal, sold under
sin” (Rom. 7:14), and, “in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing”
(Rom. 7:18), but he did this to illustrate what all mankind needs deliverance
from – NOT from the Law, as if it was an evil thing in of itself, for the real
evil originates from the sinful nature and spiritual death that
all mankind inherited via the fall of Adam (Rom. 5:12-14). You see, my reader,
Paul did not want the Jews to misunderstand his doctrine any longer! He didn’t
want the Jews to think that he was preaching the uselessness of the Law,
as they did slanderously accuse! And in refuting the false Jews thus, Paul was
intending to deliver all Christians (true Jews) from the strong allurement of
false Judaism. The heretical doctrines of false Judaism would prove alluring as
long as they did appear reasonable, but if the truth was effectually told then
those bewitched would be liberated (Gal. 3:1, 5:7)! Hence, Paul argued that the
Law was useful and effective, and to be fulfilled… but not
by the flesh of man.

“For the
Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the
Law of Sin and Death. For what the Lawcould not do, in that
it was weakthrough the flesh, God sending His own Son in the
likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sinin the flesh:
That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walknot after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” – Rom. 8:2-4

Paul was preaching the effectiveness of the Law
to reveal the wretchedness and uselessness of man’s flesh
(and, shamefully, the false Jew’s gloriedin their own flesh).
So, in other words, Paul was seeking to show the un-profitablenessof
the flesh in relationship to the righteousness and goodness
of the Law morally speaking, hence the gripping illustrations of Romans
7:15-25. This meant, in other words, Paul was trying to show the inability (or
“weakness”) of the Law to save a man through the flesh, and,
point of fact (on the contrary) – Jesus Christ came to “condemn sin in the
flesh: that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled
in us [Christians/true Jews], who walk NOT after the flesh but after
the Spirit” (Rom. 8:3-4). My reader, do you see the clear refutation being
made? The righteousness of the Law was to be fulfilled, yes, but by
the Spirit and not the flesh!

In an effort to show the rightful use of the Law
in distinction from the heresies of false Judaism, Paul made an impersonated
illustration depicting the intimate experience a true Jew would have with the
Law while being dependenton the flesh instead of the Spirit
(in Rom. 7:15-25) – a bewitchment of false Judaism. Emphasizing this, Paul
spoke of a true Jew from the standpoint of relianceupon the flesh
while he was, nevertheless, ingratiated with a sincere desire in the Spirit to
keep the moral commandments of the Law, hence because of the “warring”
inside of the man as a result of relianceupon the flesh, what he
did morally pursue after he could not perform… being rendered unable to do
anything as long as the endeavor was made by the flesh instead of the
Spirit. You see, to illustrate the goodness of the Law in its
rightful usage, Paul needed to illustrate it in reference to the spiritual
goodness of a Spirit-indwelt man; and to illustrate the deadliness of heretical
Judaism so as to protect and recover any susceptible Gentile Christians who had
fallen thus, Paul needed to impersonate a backslidden Christian’s actual
experience of ensnarement. This was a moving illustration to backslidden
Christians! They understood what he was talking about. Think of it, my reader,
without a truly converted Jew as a reference point, it would be impossible for
Paul to argumentatively prove the righteous and sound usage of the Law that
unconverted Jews were oblivious to, and, surely, I say again: Paul sought to
convert to the truth any Christian who had been ill-affected by false Judaism
and thus had temporarily fallen from grace thereby (for an example of this see
Gal. 5:1-18). In summary, Paul wanted to show the use of the Law as it really
was in truth, while maintaining the un-profitablenessof the flesh
at the same time.

Paul was referencing a true Jew (a regenerated
Jew) by the following affirmations: “that which I do I allow not: for what I
would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I” (7:15), “I do that which I
would not” (7:16), “to will is present with me” (7:18), “the good that I would”
(7:19), “the evil which I would not” (7:19), “I do that I would not” (7:20), “I
would do good” (7:21), “I delight in the Law of God after the inward man”
(7:22), “with the mind I myself serve the Law of God” (7:25), “they that are
after the Spirit [do mind] the tings of the Spirit” (8:5). This point needs to
be proven very carefully because this one thing is certain: a false, unconverted,
and unspiritual Jew cannot “delight in the Law of God after in the
inward man” (Rom. 7:22). As proof of this, see the Spirit-filled and
Spirit-empowered confessions of true Jews in Psalm 119:47, Psalm 119:77, and
Psalm 40:8, and notice how salvation was experienced from “the inward man” (2
Cor. 4:16, Eph. 3:16, Rom. 2:28-29) among true Jewish believers. Furthermore,
it was written, “they that are after the flesh do mind the things
of the flesh” (Rom. 8:5), thus how can unconverted and unspiritual
Jews make the aforementioned confessions? They couldn’t. They didn’t even
comprehend The Spirituality of the Law, my reader! Like unconverted Paul
(a Pharisee), they supposed they could fulfill “the Law” in the flesh
via outward Jewishness, according to Philippians 3:5-6. This is because
unconverted Paul didn’t know his own wretchedness and didn’t see the Laws
spiritual goodness in truth, and neither did all the unconverted Jews who were
of lesser zeal than him. Therefore, what unconverted Paul needed to see was
that he didn’t delight in the Law, he didn’t desire what was
good, he didn’t seek after what was commanded, and thus didn’t have any inwardreligion at all, just as Romans 3:9-20 did masterfully pronounce from
the Law!

Furthermore, let us take note: those who believe
that the Romans 7:15-25 illustration speaks of a man in need of true conversion
(an unregenerate Jew who is void of the Spirit) must affirm that verse 25 is
the statement of victory found in true conversion and real salvation, but Paul
doesn’t offer any new aspect of spirituality in verse 25. When Paul said, “So
then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God” (Rom. 7:25), he was
simply reiterating what had already been established theretofore since verse
15, which stated, “For that which I do I allow not [in the mind]: for
what I would [in the mind], that do I not; but what I hate [in
the mind], that do I” (Rom. 7:15). This impersonated man was serving the Law of
God in his mind from verses 15 to 25. The man was also serving the Law
of Sin in his flesh from verses 15-25. Both of these points never
changed! Theretofore, unto verse 25, the man was always serving God in the mind…
but, alas, he was not performing in deed what he desired in his heart!
Hence, my reader, there was a “warring” within the man of two natures
(or two Laws) – the Law of the Spirit and of Lifewarring against
the Law of the Sin and of Death. This inward experience which Paul
called “warring” can only be experienced by a Spirit-indwelt man, my reader!
These two Laws were contrary one to another within the Spirit-indwelt man, as
Galatians 5:17 did specifically reference: “For the fleshlustethagainstthe Spirit, and the Spiritagainstthe
flesh: and these are contrary one to the other: so that ye cannot
do the things that ye would” (Gal. 5:17). In Galatians 5:17, like in Romans
7:23, the man could do what the Spirit was compelling him to desire. The
“lusts” – the forces or Laws – of the two natures were fighting and wrestling
against one another and, fearfully, the flesh was overcoming the Spirit so that
the Spirit-indwelt man could not do what he wanted to do (“the things that
ye would”-Gal. 5:17, Rom. 7:23). What is the point?

“For
the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot
do the things that ye would.” – Gal. 5:17

“For I delight in the law of
God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warringagainst the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to
the law of sin which is in my members.” – Rom. 7:22-23

The reference point of saving grace was not the “willing”,
it is the “performing” (Rom. 7:18). In other words, the reference point
of saving grace was not about desiringin the Spirit while
failing to walkin the Spirit. Saving faith in the Gospel of
Grace results in a “walking” and not merely a “willing” (Rom. 8:1
KJV). This declaration is the climax of saving grace, written in Romans 8:1 and
paralleled by Galatians 5:16, 25… but for who? For an unconverted man?
Impossible. The man in reference was a backslidden Christian who was
temporarily snared in the damnable heresies of false Judaism, hence the inward battle
between the flesh and the Spirit. I say again, only men who have two natures
(two Laws working within) do experience such an inner-warring like the
one described by Paul in Rom. 7:15-25 (Gal. 5:17, Rom. 7:22-23; see also 1 Pet.
2:11, Jas. 4:1, 1 Tim. 1:18, 2 Cor. 10:3, 1 Tim. 6:12). But how did a soundly
converted Christian become backslidden? Why would Paul ever speak of a
Spirit-indwelt Christian as one who is in “captivity” instead of “freedom”
(Rom. 7:23, 8:2)?

With all things considered, it is very clear that
Paul was seeking to refute the ill-effects of false Jews and denounce false
Judaism so as to recover any backslidden Christians from the adverse heresies
of walking/gloryingin the flesh in an attempt to keep “the
Law”, exactly as Galatians 4:21-5:26 exemplifies in perfect parallelism. My
reader, do you think it is impossible for a Spirit-indwelt Christian to go from
freedom to captivity (Rom. 8:2, 7:23)? Or, do you think it is
impossible for a Spirit-indwelt Christian to go from walkingin the
Spirit to walkingin the flesh (Rom. 8:1, 4, Gal. 5:16, 25)?
The damnable heresies of false Judaism did “just that” to real, authentic,
Spirit-indwelt Christians who backslid, my reader. Speaking of such backsliders,
Paul commanded: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ
hath made us free, and be not entangledagain with the
yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5:1).

Supremely, this is why Paul’s illustration in
Romans 7:15-25 conveyed a person who had the Spirit of God dwelling in him
(evidenced by the desire, will, delight, and sincereendeavor to do what the righteousness of the Law commanded), but Paul
maintained the argument the whole way through, saying, “the body is dead
because of sin” (Rom. 8:10); this meant, in other words, there was still a need
to “walk” after the Spirit and not after the flesh (Rom.
8:1), or, to kill the flesh through the Spirit (Rom. 7:23, 8:10, 12-13),
otherwise the regenerated man would be held captive by the flesh and
thus walk after its lusts to his own spiritual death (Rom. 8:13).
Oh, do you see the plain truth, my reader! The contextual parallelism of Romans
7:15-8:17 and Galatians 4:21-5:26 is profound, to say the least, for the
letters were divinely authored in this way so that scripture would interpret
scripture (Isa. 28:10, 1 Cor. 2:13) and all controversies would be thereby
dissolved. Take a closer look at the inspired passages of scripture
side-by-side and see for yourself, my reader.

Romans 7:15-8:17

[15] For that which I do I allow not: for what
I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

[16] If then I do that which I would not, I
consent unto the Law that it is good.

[17] Now then it is no more I that do it, but
sin that dwelleth in me.

[18] For I know that in me (that is, in my
flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me;
but how to perform that which is good I find not.

[19] For the good that I would I do not: but
the evil which I would not, that I do.

[20] Now if I do that I would not, it is no
more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

[21] I find then a law, that, when I
would do good, evil is present with me.

[22] For I delight in the Law of God
after the inward man:

[23] But I see another law in my
members, warringagainstthe Law of my mind, and bringing
me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

[24] O wretched man that I am! who shall
deliver me from the body of this death?

[25] I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
So then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God; but with the flesh the
law of sin.

[1] There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walknot after the flesh,
but after the Spirit.

[2] For the law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

[3] For what the law could not do, in that
it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

[4] That the righteousness of the law might
be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

[5] For they that are after the flesh do mind
the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the
Spirit.

[6] For to be carnally minded is death; but to
be spiritually minded is life and peace.

[7] Because the carnal mind is enmity
against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be.

[8] So then they that are in the flesh
cannot please God.

[9] But ye are not in the flesh, but in the
Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

[10] And if Christ be in you, the body is
dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness.

[11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up
Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead
shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

[12] Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not
to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

[13] For if ye live after the flesh, ye
shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye
shall live.

[14] For as many as are led by the Spirit of
God, they are the sons of God.

[15] For ye have not received the spirit of bondage
again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father.

[16] The Spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God:

[17] And if children, then heirs;
heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we
suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Galatians 4:21-5:26

[21] Tell me, ye that desire to be under
the Law, do ye not hear the Law?

[22] For it is written, that Abraham had two
sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

[23] But he who was of the bondwoman was
born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

[24] Which things are an allegory: for these are the two
covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage,
which is Agar.

[25] For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,
and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with
her children.

[26] But Jerusalem which is above is free,
which is the mother of us all.

[27] For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren
that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the
desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

[28] Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the
children of promise.

[29] But as then he that was born after the
flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even
so it is now.

[30] Nevertheless what saith the scripture?
Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be
heir with the son of the freewoman.

[31] So then, brethren, we are not children of
the bondwoman, but of the free.

[1] Stand fast therefore in the liberty
wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again
with the yoke of bondage.

[21] Envyings, murders, drunkenness,
revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also
told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the
kingdom of God.

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

[23] Meekness, temperance: against such there
is no law.

[24] And they that are Christ's have
crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

[25] If we live in the Spirit, let us also
walk in the Spirit.

[26] Let us not be desirous of vain glory,
provoking one another, envying one another.

Paul strategically said to the Galatians, “Tell
me, ye that desire to be under the Law, do ye not hear the Law” (Gal. 4:21)?
This means, in other words, “know ye not” (Rom. 6:3, 16, 7:1)? They had gravely
misunderstood, as we have heretofore observed. Misunderstood concerning what?
They misunderstood true Judaism for false Judaism. They did not understand the
teachings of the Law in truth, thus Paul said, “do ye not hear the Law” (Gal.
4:21)? We can be sure that what follows is a harmonious refutation of false
Judaism.

Remember, for the Gentile Christians of Galatia
to desire to be “under the Law”, Paul was signifying the doctrine which was
presently snaring them – namely, how false Judaism indoctrinated the Galatians
to this misguided aspiration – an aspiration which meant, in other words, they
desired to be justified by the works of the Law, by outward Jewishness, by
glorying in the flesh, and thus by physical circumcision, as we have heretofore
observed. Surely the Law itself rebukes such carnality, right? Indeed. Paul
begins to unfold an allegory to portray the contradiction of the spiritual seed
of Abraham as opposed to the physical seed of Abraham, both of whom were
physically circumcised as the sons of Abraham. Who were these two sons? Ishmael
and Isaac.

Furthermore, just as the sons were held in
contrast one to another, so were their mothers: Hagar and Sarah. Paul said,
“Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, and the other by a freewoman”
(Gal. 4:22). The point being, not both of them were born again after the Spirit
of God to become the spiritual seed of Abraham. This was plainly stated by Paul
in the following verse, Galatians 4:23, and it was repeatedly defended
elsewhere in inspired scripture.

“But he
who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was
by promise.” – Galatians 4:23

“For what if some did not believe? shall
their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” – Rom. 3:3

“Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For
they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the
seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children
of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is
the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.” –
Rom. 9:6-9

Apparently, physical circumcision and physical birth from
Abraham does not determine justification before God. Apparently, such things do
not determine whether someone is or isn’t the child of Abraham, Israel, or God!
This is a shockingly relevant citation to refute the heresies of 1st
century Judaism. Paul doesn’t cease from proving his point there. He further
confirms that this is his argument in Galatians 4:28-5:1, and what was Paul
trying to do? He was endeavoring to divorce the Gentile Christians of Galatia
from the heresies of 1st century Judaism, and, meanwhile, uphold
before their confounded gaze the subjects of true Judaism of old exemplified in
the lives of Isaac and Sarah, the true Jews. Is not this what Paul was arguing
in the plainest of terms, saying,

“Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the
children of promise. But as then he that was born after the fleshpersecuted
him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.
Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son:
for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son
of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the
bondwoman, but of the free.” – Gal. 4:28-31

Apparently Ishmael was born after the flesh unto Abraham,
merely, and he was thus found to be an illegitimate son. Apparently Isaac was
born after the flesh and Spirit, thereby confirmed to be an heir indeed! My
reader, now do you see why Paul was appealing to the Galatian Christians,
saying, “And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer
persecution? Then is the offence of the cross ceased. I would they were even
cut off which trouble you” (Gal. 5:11-12). Paul was identifying “the Jews” who
were deceiving the Galatian Christians, calling them modern day Ishmaelite’s,
and the Gentile-Born Galatians included together with the Hebrew-Born apostle
Paul, they were sons of Isaac and children of the free – the true Jews! Paul
was identifying false and true Judaism in ancient to modern day parallels! Just
as Ishmael was separated from and cast out of the Church in the days of Abraham
because he was persecuting Isaac, the true son of Abraham, the Galatians are
exhorted to separate from and cast out the persecutors who preach that they
need to be circumcised (Gal. 5:11-12).

Obviously, the allegory of Galatians 4:21-31 was not a
denunciation of true Judaism as an exclusively fleshly, once-born, Spirit-less,
promise-void bondage, no! Such a description was referential to the
vailed-heart population of Jews who did ascribe to the Law and Covenant
superiorities of Mount Sinai over Jesus Christ, as it was then understood (“Then
they reviled him, and said, Thou art His disciple; but we are Moses’ discples”-Jn.9:28,
Rom. 2:17), yea, and it was referential to earthly “Jerusalem” which did then
exist (the two were one in dogma; Matt. 23:37, Lk. 19:41-46), but all those who
did thereby hope to be justified by earthly locations, carnal ordinances, and
physical ceremonies were extending as one Family whose entire lineage was in
bondage (see Gal. 4:24-25). Albeit, my reader, there was a Spiritual Jerusalem,
a Spiritual Family, and a Spiritual Dogma which existed in the 1st
century and was, on the contrary, bondage-free and standing fast in liberty,
having been born after the Spirit as children of promise unto Abraham! – “But
Jerusalem which is above is FREE, which is the Mother of us all” (Gal. 4:26)!
My reader, now can you understand Paul’s charge to the Galatian Christians,
saying, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made
us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”
(Gal. 5:1)?

Indeed, this freedom was not lawlessness but rather true
lawfulness, contrary to the clams of false Judaism, “For all the Law is
fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love Thy neighbor as thyself”
(Gal. 5:14, Rom. 8:1-4). The Judaizers were deceived and thereby in bondage,
and what they supposed to keep in the Law resulted in bondage and consequences
damnation, “For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law; but
desire to have [the Galatian and Roman Christians] circumcised, that they may
glory in [their] flesh” (Gal. 6:13). A religion and “law-keeping” lifestyle of
fleshly glorying was bondage, thus Paul said, speaking of liberty: “This I say
then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Gal.
5:15, Rom. 8:1). The ultimatums of freedom were harmoniously paralleled in the
Book of Romans and Galatians: Paul emphasizing the fulfillment of the
righteousness of the Law (Rom. 8:4, Gal. 5:14) by walking in the Spirit (Rom.
8:1, Gal. 5:15, 25), which was, in other words, a mortifying or crucifying of
the flesh (Rom. 8:13, Gal. 5:24); for this, and only this, was sonship to God
and freedom from bondage in truth (Rom. 8:15, Gal. 5:1)! This was true Judaism;
thanks be to God!

ROMANS 9:1-10:21

Certain accusations did flare up as a reaction to
Paul’s strong stand against false Judaism, men honestly believing he hates
Israelites and prejudicially prefers Gentiles. The temptation would also be to
think that the word of God had “none effect” (in relation to the promises of
God to Israel), seeing that so many Israelites after the flesh refused to
follow their Messiah. Paul was determined to uncover and refute these
undermining accusations and doubts, and he did in Romans Chapters 9-11. It is
important that, firstly, we follow the argument of Paul as it progresses from
Romans 9:1-10:21, before moving in Chapter 11.

Romans
9:1-3 --- Paul attested to his sincere love for Israelites who are
born after the flesh, contrary to the doubts and accusations of rebellious
Israel who considered him an enemy of the state.

Romans
9:4-8 --- A needful qualification made on behalf of who the true
Israelites are, both ancient and modern, for the sake of proving how the word
of God was not without effect among true Jews and within true Judaism; hereby
Paul introduced the argument he was about to prove by Old Testament scripture.

Romans
9:9-24 --- To prove the qualification made in Romans 9:4-8, Paul
cited the origin of true Israelite birth to be by promise and after the Spirit
and not after the flesh (like Galatians 4:28-31 did already confirm), using
Isaac as an example. Furthermore, to make this origin evident, Paul compared
the birth and purpose of Jacob and Esau with their eternal election and
predestination in view, proving that Israelites after the flesh are not the
inheritors of salvation. These points are followed with a discourse on eternal
election and predestination with other citations in view, proving that
salvation is not of flesh and blood, nor of the will of man, but of God through
sovereign election, and to Him belongs the glory and the praise!

Following this, in Romans 9:25-10:21, Paul began
to expound and justify the work of Jewish salvation as it did then exist in a
remnant, despite the overwhelming masses of apostate Israel. Paul cited
prophecies which foretold the rejection of Israel as a whole, a remnant
excluded, while vindicating the righteousness of God which was accessible by
faith, and not by the works of the Law, using Old Testament Judaism to confirm
New Testament Judaism.

Romans 9:25-10:21

[25] As he
saith also in Osee, I will call them my people,
which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

[26] And
it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are
not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

[27] Esaias also crieth
concerning Israel, Though the number of the
children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:

[28] For
he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short
work will the Lord make upon the earth.

[29] And as Esaias said
before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a
seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

[30] What
shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not
after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the
righteousness which is of faith.

[31] But Israel, which followed
afterthe law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of
righteousness.

[32] Wherefore?BECAUSE
they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law.
For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;

[33] As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of
offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

[1] Brethren,
my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

[2] For I bear them record
that they have a zeal of God, but NOT according to knowledge.

[3] For they being ignorant
of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have NOT submitted themselves unto the righteousness of
God.

[4] For Christ is the end
of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

[5] For Moses describeth the
righteousness which is of the law, That the man
which doeth those things shall live by them.

[6] But the righteousness
which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say
not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven?(that is, to bring Christ down from above:)

[7] Or,
Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again
from the dead.)

[8] But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy
heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

[9] That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

[10] For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.

[11] For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

[12] For there is no
difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich
unto all that call upon him.

[13] For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

[14] How then shall they call
on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of
whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

[15] And how shall they
preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring
glad tidings of good things!

[16] But they have not all
obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath
believed our report?

[17] So then faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

[18] But I say, Have they not
heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the
earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

[19] But I say, Did not Israel
know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to
jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger
you.

[20] But Esaias is very bold,
and saith, I was found of them that sought me
not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

[21] But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a
disobedient and gainsaying people.”

Old Testament Citations

“I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I
will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall
say, Thou art my God.” – Hos. 2:23

“and it shall come
to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people,
there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.” – Hos.
1:10

“For though thy people Israel be
as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them shall return: the consumption
decreed shall overflow with righteousness.For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even
determined, in the midst of all the land.” – Isa. 10:22-23

“Except the LORD of
hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and
we should have been like unto Gomorrah.” – Isa. 1:9

“The stone which
the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.” – Ps. 118:22

“And he shall be
for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence…” –
Isa. 8:14

“Behold, I lay
in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a
sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.” – Isa. 28:16

“Ye shall therefore
keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them:
I am the LORD.” – Lev. 18:5

“And I gave them my
statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live
in them.” – Ezek. 20:11

“It is not in
heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring
it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea,
that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto
us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in
thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” – Deut. 30:12-14

“he that believeth
shall not make haste.” – Isa. 28:16

“How beautiful
upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that
publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth
salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” – Isa. 52:7

“Who hath believed
our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” – Isa. 53:1

“There is
no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone
out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.” – Ps.
19:3-4

“I will move them to jealousy with those
which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.”
– Deut. 32:21

“I am
sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not:
I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name. I
have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh
in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;” – Isa. 65:1-2

After Paul proved the sovereignty of God in
election unto salvation, he clarified the subjects of election to be “not of
Jews only, but also of the Gentiles” (Rom. 9:24). How can Gentiles, who aren’t
Israelite in the flesh, become a part of a “holy nation” of Israelites to God
(1 Pet. 2:9)? For the same reason, Paul said, “they are not all Israel, which
are of Israel: neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all
children”, and, again, “they which are the children of the flesh, these are not
the children of God” (Rom. 9:6-8). Such affirmations as these are not new but
old, Paul argued, “As [God] saith also in Osee, I will call them My people,
which were not My people; and her beloved, which was not
beloved…” (Rom. 9:25-26). At the time that this prophetic utterance was spoken
by the prophet Hosea, Israel was soon to undergo the horrendous judgments
uttered by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 10:22-23 & 1:9) wherein only a
remnant of physical Israel would be saved. Upon proving that the mass rejection
and annihilation of physical Israel was not impossible but rather historical,
Paul said, “What shall we say then?”, and, “Wherefore?” Meaning,
can such verses really mean the mass reception and salvation of the Gentiles
instead of the Jews?

Indeed, Paul argued, when and if the Israelites
do seek after “the Law of righteousness” (Rom. 9:31) as they wrongly understood
it to be “by the works of the Law” (Rom. 9:32), their rejection is sure
“because they sought it not by faith” (Rom. 9:32). Pursuing “the Law of
righteousness” is not the issue. Rather it was that they sought it not by
faith, like the Gentiles did (Rom. 9:30-32). They sought it in a blind way and
thus stumbled at “a Stumblingstone” (Rom. 9:33). All of Israel’s “zeal” and
“knowledge” was at last, utterly “ignorant of God’s righteousness”, thus all of
their supposed righteousness by the works of the Law was a “going about to
establish their own righteousness” …and they had none (Rom. 10:2-3)! This
pseudo “righteousness” has been heretofore identified as the damning deception
which vailed the heart of the 1st century Jews.

False
Judaism --- “the Law of righteousness” (“by the works of the
Law”) – Rom. 9:31-32

By this point, we should understand the language
of Paul’s comparison made in Romans 9:30-10:8. What Paul called “the
righteousness which is in the Law”, was not real Jewish righteousness, and what
Paul called “the righteousness which is of God by faith”, was real Jewish
righteousness (Php. 3:9). For, remember, the 1st century false Jews
kept the earthly, outward, and ceremonial attributes of the Law, and in these
works of the Law they did boast of justification, but they were ignorant of
God’s righteousness which was communicable to them through faith in the Shadow
Gospel (they were, in other words, ignorant of The Spirituality of the Law),
and, thus they were ignorant of their own spiritual wretchedness which The
Spirituality of the Law would teach them, and being thereby rendered unable to
truly repent of sin… all of their keeping and doing of the Law was an
abomination to God. This means that if the Jews did seek after “the
righteousness of the Law” by faith instead, they would have found the righteousness
of God provided through Christ (in the OT or the NT, via the pre-incarnate or
post-incarnate Christ), “For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to
every one that believeth” (Rom. 10:4). This means, even Old Testament Jews
(true Jews) didn’t trust in the carnality, earthliness, and ceremonialoutwardness of the Law… no, they trusted in the Shadow Gospels which
preached Christ! Thus, whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, faith
in Jesus Christ did always made void the works “of the Law for righteousness”,
and if the 1st century Jews sought the righteousness of God they
would have sought it by faith, ending their heretical ideologies of fleshly
glory (a heresy coined, “the Law for righteousness”-Rom.10:4). Even so,
there is a “Law of righteousness” which was “by faith”, which was true Judaism,
and there was a “Law of righteousness” which was “by the works of the Law”,
which was false Judaism (Rom. 9:31-32, 10:3). I entreat the reader to remember
the consistency of the following phraseological identifications which have been
heretofore defined before we move forward.

Phrases Referential to Heretical Judaism

Self-righteous men who do not see their
sinfulness and, thereby, their faith & confidence is put in their flesh
and not in the atonement, and being thus rendered void of empowering grace
these men cannot understand or fulfill the doable aspects of the Law, hence
they put their hopes in being justified by a heretical understanding of the
Law.

·“the
form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law” – Rom.2:20

·“Outward
Jews” who “by the letter and circumcision” suppose they keep the Law “in the
flesh” – Rom. 2:27-28

·“confidence
in the flesh”, “trust in the flesh” – Php. 3:3-4

·“as
touching the righteousness which is in the Law, blameless” – Php. 3:6

·“mine
own righteousness, which is of the Law” – Php. 3:9

· “the
Law of righteousness” (“by the works of the Law”) – Rom. 9:31-32

·“going
about to establish their own righteousness” – Rom. 10:3

Phrases Referential to True Judaism

Humble men who see their sinfulness and, yet,
through faith in the atonement, are empowered by grace to understand and
fulfill the doable aspects of the Law through a confidence in God and not
dead works.

·Jews
who “do by nature the things contained in the Law” showing “the work of the
Law written in their hearts” – Rom. 2:14-15

·“Inward
Jews” who “by nature” do “fulfill the Law”, whose “circumcision is that of
the heart, in the Spirit” – Rom. 2:27, 29

·“the
righteousness which is of God by faith” – Php. 3:9

· “the
Law of righteousness” (“by faith”) – Rom. 9:31-32

·“God’s
righteousness” – Rom. 10:3

·“the
righteousness which is of the Law” – Rom. 10:5

Indeed, the authorial intent of Romans 10:4 is
not easily misunderstood without all things considered. The phraseological
language can appear very misleading to those who have not understood the
phraseological consistency used by Paul in every epistle wherein false Judaism
is a central issue of contention. Of course, Paul was not saying that “Christ
was the end of the Law for righteousness” in the sense, to say, Christ was the
end of the Law as it existed in Old Testament Judaism whereby Jews were
justified by works instead of faith, by outward ceremonies instead of imputed
righteousness, by earthly and fleshly generation instead of inward and
spiritual regeneration. All those who hold to this interpretation do wrongly
conclude that Christ is the end of a works-based, faith-less, formalistic,
self-righteous, fleshly, and unspiritual religion called Judaism. Nay, rather,
Christ is the end of a works-based, faith-less, formalistic, self-righteous,
fleshly, and unspiritual religion called false Judaism! For, false Judaism does
not nullify the existence of true Judaism! And true Judaism was a faith-based,
inward, and spiritual religion!

Romans 10:4-5 need to be taken in rolling context
with the argument begun in Romans 9:30. It is obvious that Paul was endeavoring
to strip the false Jews of the self-righteous and erroneous assumption that
they could achieve the moral and ceremonial standard of the Law though the
flesh, dependent upon themselves, without dependence upon grace, without the
mechanism of faith, and without spirituality in God. When faced with the Mosaic
command referenced by Paul in Romans 10:5, “That the man which doeth those
things shall live by them”, Paul was seeking to strip the false Jews from their
perception of “the righteousness which is of the Law” which was, as Paul
formerly specified, a false righteousness which they supposed to achieve “by
the works of the Law” (Rom. 9:31-32, 10:5). Thus, when the Mosaic command
confronts a grace-less and God-less man of flesh, though Jewish he may be, they
needed to reckon with and face-up to the unachievable glory which belonged to
God’s righteousness in sinless perfection, and feel condemned. This was the aim
of the apostle Paul when he quoted from Moses in Romans 10:5.

Nevertheless, let us take heed that we do not
misunderstand Paul’s intent in quoting Moses. By such a standard laid forth in
the Law by Moses (“That man which doeth those things shall live by them”),
God intended to strip all men from self-righteousness and make them dependent
upon Him, this is true, but in so doing God did graciously and gloriously fulfill
this Mosaic command by the provision that He supplied in that dispensation and
this one (the OT and the NT). Think of it, my reader, Paul goes on to quote
from the Mosaic Law salvation defined by faith through grace (“the
righteousness which is of faith”), using Deuteronomy 30:12-14 to prove it in
Romans 10:6-8. Paul does furthermore confirm the existence of the Gospel being
preached to the Jews via Isaiah 28:16 (Rom. 10:11), Isaiah 52:7 (Rom. 10:15),
and Isaiah 53:1 (Rom. 10:16-17), namely that they were confronted by the
provision of God’s righteousness by grace through faith, and they refused to
submit themselves to it (Rom. 10:3)! Instead, they sought out their own
righteousness, when they had none (Rom. 10:3). Proving that the Gospel appeal
made by God to Judaism was conscientiously understood and rejected by false
Jews (“Did not Israel know?”), Paul quoted Deuteronomy 32:21 and Isaiah
65:1-2 in Romans 10:19-21.

With these things being understood, how should a
true Jew respond to the Mosaic command quoted in Romans 10:5 and Galatians
3:12? How would a religion of faith and grace via the Gospel incorporate such
words which threatened death if the moral and ceremonial standard was unfulfilled?
Certainly, there must be some means of fulfilling the Mosaic command
quoted in Romans 10:5 and Galatians 3:12, right? Otherwise all Jews would have
died. When the Mosaic command is related to as “the Law of righteousness”
achievable “by faith”, all things can be fulfilled even though sinless
perfection is unfulfilled. Please, let me explain.

Paul went on to ascribe to the righteousness
which did indeed exist in the Law through Christ (formerly referenced by the
saying, “the Law of righteousness” “by faith” – Rom. 9:31-32), by quoting all
the passages of the OT from Romans 10:6-21. Therefore, the righteousness
described by Moses, which Paul rendered, “For Moses describeth the
righteousness which is of the Law, That the man which doeth those things shall
live by them” (Rom. 10:5), was achievable by grace through faith… but not by
the works of the Law as the false Jews supposed. We know that Paul was not
citing a false “righteousness” or a false “law-keeping”, otherwise everyone who
failed to attain to this righteousness would have literally died according to
the promise, “the man which doeth those things shall live by them (Rom. 10:5),
but according to the crooked interpretation and vain pursuit of false Jews who
sought righteousness from the Law dependent upon themselves, this verse was an
unachievable standard which, in turn, was a scathing rebuke to the self-righteous
Jews. So what did true Jews do? What solution did true Judaism provide for
those who fell short of the moral standard of God’s glory in sinless
perfection? How is it possible than anyone was declared righteous in the Old
Testament? How is it possible that, according to the Mosaic threat, everyone
didn’t die under the wrath of God? How was it possible that any Jew lived on to
see the glory and blessedness of God in the Old Testament with such a standard
of morally which was impossible to fulfill?

My reader, the solution of grace in the OT or the
NT was and is apprehended by faith through grace, but those who seek
righteousness in dependence upon themselves to achieve the moral and ceremonial
commands of the Law, these men must reckon with the demise of falling short of
God’s glory in sinless perfection. Indeed, the righteous commands found in the
Law cannot be achieved by the God-less man whose faith was in himself and whose
glory was in the flesh! But, on the contrary, we must also reckon with the vast
quantity of scripture which has been dedicated to confirm the fulfillment
of Mosaic commandments in the lives of Old Testament true Jews! Even though the
contextual placement of the OT quotation, “the man which doeth those things
shall live by them” (Rom. 10:5, Gal. 3:12), was used to humble the false Jews
who sought an unachievable righteousness, this OT command was fulfilled
in true Jews by grace through faith in a non-sinlessly perfect way, according
to true Judaism. My reader, familiarize yourself with the language of the Moral
Law being fulfilled in the life of Old Testament Jews, despite the fact
that they were not sinlessly perfect, and upon being utterly convinced of these
affirmations of moral righteousness in fulfillment with the aforementioned OT
scriptures, we will then move into a clarification of how it is possible that
such things are truthfully affirmed by God and written in scripture in perfect
unison with the aforementioned conclusions of Romans and the like.